If Alex Fell: Fate

by Frohike

People can change. An Alex Krycek story. Give it a try, please::begs shamelessly:: This is the one I'm the proudest of, so I'd really appreciate feedback. This series continues on my website at www.geocities.com/frohike51.

3. Default Chapter Title

Matthew turned to Alex. "OK, I left my x-ray specs at the office, so you're going to have to lose the jeans for a few minutes."

Alex complied. He slipped them off and sat down on the edge of the bed. Matthew kneeled down to examine the injured knee, but found little change. It was still purple, but that wasn't going to go away anytime soon. The swelling had gone down considerably, but it wasn't back to normal just yet. "Have you been soaking this?" Alex nodded. "Good. Be sure you walk on it a little every day so it doesn't stiffen up on you." Matthew got up and moved away. "You can put your jeans back on, but I want to check those ribs, so don't go anywhere."

Alex replaced his jeans, then removed his shirt, while Matthew watched the door. He kept expecting Katie to knock, not trusting him to keep his promise. When Alex was ready, Matthew checked his ribs. He was reasonably confident that there were just the two cracked ones and that they were healing, as they should be. "OK, that does it."

Alex stared at him for a moment, not believing that he was getting off that easily. Yes, Matthew had promised Katie he wouldn't bully him, but Alex hadn't thought for a minute that he'd keep that promise. "That's it? You're really not going to say anything?"

"No, I'm really not going to say anything," Matthew replied.

"Why not?" Alex buttoned his shirt, never taking his eyes off the good doctor. "Because you promised Katie you wouldn't?"

"Partly. Mostly because I've already lost," he said with a sigh.

"Lost? What do you mean, you've already lost?"

Matthew slumped down in the recliner. "She let you read a work in progress, Alex. You don't know her well enough yet, to know how significant that is. No one, and I mean no one, gets to do that. When I walked in here tonight and heard that, I knew the battle was already over." He leveled a stare at Alex. "Since you started this, I'm technically not breaking my promise to Katie, so I'm going to ask you a few questions and you're going to answer them."

'Here it comes,' Alex thought.

"How long has it been since your last sexual encounter?"

Alex sat back in surprise. "Jesus, Matthew! I've only known her for a couple of days!"

"And it will probably be a few more weeks before you're able to do anything about it, too, but I know what I saw a little while ago and I know where this is heading," Matthew stated bluntly.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean 'you know what you saw?" Alex asked defensively.

"I saw the two of you, looking and acting like you've been together for years. Face it man, she's falling hard for you and you aren't too far behind."

Alex opened his mouth to utter a denial, but found that the words wouldn't come. Matthew gave him time to come to terms with the truth of his statement, then finished his thought. "I know you're clean," Matthew continued. "When Katie wasn't around, I drew blood and had it checked out, but I need to know how long it's been, so I know how long to keep checking you."

Alex shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Katie was right, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition. "Four years. Pretty much since this happened," he said, motioning toward his arm."

Now it was Matthew's turn to look surprised. "Four years? Why? You're an attractive man; you mean to tell me that you haven't been with anyone in all that time?"

Alex frowned. "Matthew, most women don't see a detachable arm as a selling point."

Matthew left the recliner and sat down on the bed next to Alex. "She's not like anyone else you've ever met."

Alex turned to him and smiled. "I'm beginning to understand that." He looked at the door and started to rock back and forth. Matthew noticed and wondered if Alex was even aware of what he was doing. "Do you really think I have a chance with her?" he asked quietly.

Matthew laughed and shook his head in disbelief. "Alex, you don't need chance, you have her already." Alex smiled. "That doesn't mean it's going to be easy," Matthew added. "You're going to have to work for it. Take care of her, woo her, let her know you aren't taking this for granted."

"Two days, Matthew. It's only been two days," Alex reminded.

"How long does it take?" Matthew asked. "Two days can be a lifetime; consider this my blessing." He patted Alex on the leg and got up from the bed. "Remember what I said," he offered as he walked to the door. He put one hand on the knob, but turned before opening the door. "Remember this, too. If you hurt her, I will come after you."

Alex got up and joined him at the door. "I won't hurt her," he promised.

"No, I don't suppose you will." Matthew opened the door. "Come on, we'd better get out there before Katie comes looking for us and Tyler starts to get jealous."

Alex grinned. "I like it here, you people are good for my ego."

"Don't get too used it," Matthew warned. "It's just a tactic we use to suck in unsuspecting victims. Once the honeymoon period is over, you'll be fair game, just like the rest of us."

Katie came bounding over to meet them just outside the doorway. "So, how is everything?"

Matthew rolled his eyes and looked over at Alex. "What did I tell you?"

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, Katya," Alex replied, with a grin. "Matthew says I'm going to live."

Tyler stood by the couch, tapping his foot impatiently. "Good! Now would you three come on already? The food's laid out, the VCR is primed and ready to go, and the sangria is chilled to perfection. All we need is for Mistress Katie to choose the first selection, so the festivities can begin."

"I'd better go pick the first film," Katie whispered loudly to Alex. "Tyler gets so pissy when we make him wait."

"I heard that, Katie," Tyler called.

"You were supposed to, sweetheart," Katie replied. She joined Tyler by the couch and began sorting through the bag of movies. In general, the selections pleased her, until she hit upon one about two-thirds of the way down the stack. She pulled it out, holding it between her thumb and forefinger; like it was a disease-ridden rat. "What the Hell is THIS doing in here, Tyler?" she asked, wiggling it in his face.

"If I have to sit through Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, then you can sit through Plan 9 from Outer Space," he challenged.

"We've had this fight before. This is a horror fest, not a sci-fi fest, and while Plan Nine is 'horrible' it is not horror!" Tyler stood his ground and glared back her. "Oh, come on! Kid, Alexei, help me out here," she begged.

"No way, Hanna. I'm going with Tyler on this one."

Katie frowned at Matthew. "Traitor!" She turned to Alex. "Alexei," she said sweetly.

"Sorry Katya, never seen it," he shrugged. "I'd kind of like to see the worst movie ever made."

Katie gave each of them an evil glare. "Oh, I see how it is. Fine, it's gang-up-on-Katie night, is it?" The men laughed; Alex trying not to let it show, while the other two made no such gesture. She pointed the evil eye at Alex. "And to think, I was worried about you being alone, in the same room, with that one," she huffed, nodding at Matthew. She held the tape out to Tyler. "Here, Tyler. Take your stupid movie and put it in the machine. If we have to watch it, let's get over with now." Tyler took the tape and quickly popped it into the VCR, not wanting to give Katie a chance to change her mind.

Katie sat down on the couch first, leaving room for Alex to sit down beside her. She made sure to leave him the end space on the left-hand side, so that he'd have the arm of the couch to lean against and she'd have his right arm close, in case he wanted to put it around her or anything. Not a very subtle gesture, but she wasn't feeling particularly subtle this evening. If she had to sit through that stupid movie, someone had better damned well be planning on doing something to make it bearable; Alex's arm around her was number one on her list of ways to make that happen.

Matthew watched her little maneuver and made a move toward the spot. He laughed when she hissed "sit there and die" at him. "Smooth, Hanna, really smooth," he whispered in her ear. She reached out and punched him on the arm, as he backed away from the couch to join Tyler on the adjacent loveseat. Alex was watched the exchange and almost laughed out loud, when Matthew winked at him, conspiratorially.

"Mind if I sit here," Alex asked innocently.

"I suppose not," she answered, rolling her eyes. "But after joining in the hostile takeover of the VCR, don't expect me to hold your hand when things get scary later on."

Alex sat down next to her and bumped her shoulder with his. "Katya, you're not going to protect me from the big bad monsters?" he asked, giving her his best 'hurt' look.

"Nope, you're on your own now, Alexei."

Alex scowled. "Hmmm, is there anything I can do to put myself back in your good graces, Mistress Katie?"

Tyler poked Matthew in the arm and pointed at Alex. "Good move," he whispered. "The boy learns fast."

Matthew nodded. "Yes he does. I think Hanna may have finally met her match."

"Well," Katie said, hesitantly. "I suppose you could start by making me a sandwich and pouring me a glass of wine."

"Anything you say," he responded. "What kind of sandwich would you like?"

Tyler leaned in close to Matthew. "She's going to make him guess. Remember when she pulled that on me?" Matthew smiled and nodded.

"Guess," Katie told him.

"See?" Tyler whispered.

"We'd better help him out. You point him in the right direction, while I try to get her to put the rest of the tapes in order," Matthew plotted. "Hanna, grab the bag of tapes and give me the line-up for the evening."

Katie picked up the bag and started putting tapes in order, a few at a time, and handing them to Matthew. Tyler motioned to Alex and started pointing to various items on the table. As Alex reached for different things, Tyler would nod or shake his head, to let him know if he was on the right track. By the time the tapes were in order, Alex had constructed the perfect sandwich and poured Katie a glass of wine. He handed her the plate. "I hope this meets with your approval."

She took the plate and put it down on her lap. Lifting the top slice of bread, she poked through the sandwich to see what he'd put inside. It was perfect; she knew she was being set up, but decided to let it ride. "It'll do," she said, taking a bite. "Aren't you going to eat? Neither one of us thought to grab lunch today."

"I was waiting for permission," he teased.

Tyler and Matthew exchanged amused looks. "Definitely, met her match," Matthew whispered. Tyler snickered and nodded.

"If you two are done, I'm going to start the tape," Tyler exclaimed. Katie and Alex smiled, so Tyler hit play and the movie music filled the room. Katie finished her sandwich, then slumped against the back of the couch in defeat. Alex leaned forward to eat, but when he finished, leaned back to rest against the arm of the couch. Katie stopped watching the movie and started watching Alex instead. She liked seeing his reactions to the inanity on the screen; he was completely enthralled and didn't realize that she was staring at him, until the movie ended.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

"You," she said, smiling. Then, she looked over at the boys. "Can we start the bloodshed now?"

Tyler pulled Plan 9 out of the VCR and popped in I Dismember Mama. "Let the bloodshed begin," he announced. He leaned over and extended his glass. "Would you pour me a glass of wine, Katie. As the blood flows, so shall the alcohol."

"Here, here," she replied, holding up the bottle, then pouring Tyler his drink. "Anyone else?" Matthew passed her his glass, as did Alex.

"You go easy on that, Alex," Matthew warned. "You're not in the best shape to be doing any serious drinking."

"I'll be careful," Alex answered.

Matthew watched in amusement as the pair shifted positions on the couch. Alex had removed one of the decorative pillows from behind his back and was hugging it protectively, against his ribs. Katie had moved a little closer to him; not enough to be obvious, but enough so that she was now well within arm-around-the-shoulder reach. Matthew turned his head and snickered quietly, not wanting to attract their attention. Tyler noticed and looked to see what Matthew found so humorous. He too, had to stifle a laugh. "Is he dense, or just blind?" Tyler whispered. Matthew snorted and smacked Tyler's arm.

Alex extended his hand and tapped Katie on the shoulder. When she turned, he pointed at Tyler and Matthew. "What do you think that's all about?" he asked quietly, dropping his fingers back to her shoulder.

"Who knows." Katie scooted closer to him. "Those two can be so weird sometimes," she whispered.

Alex held back a laugh and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "And you're so normal?"

"That's what the voices in my head keep telling me," she teased. "Are you OK?" she asked, pointing to the pillow he held against his body.

"I'm fine. This is just for protection."

"Protection? Against what?"

Alex grinned. She wasn't the only one capable of setting traps for unsuspecting victims. "Protection against you, of course. I'm sure that once the scariness starts that you'll be looking for an available body to huddle up against. I'm just preparing myself to be that available body."

Katie pulled back and tried to look indignant. "So, you think I'm going to be needing some big, strong man to protect me from the nasty monsters?"

"Needing? No," he said, smiling sweetly. "Just wishing out loud."

"Oh," Katie replied, taken aback by his statement. She had no idea how to respond after that, so she turned her attention to the TV screen. The psycho had escaped from the institution and was busily hacking away at his first victim.

"Oh, nice looking blood there," Matthew exclaimed. "Another filmmaker falls victim to the Heinz Corporation."

"That's not Heinz, it's way too runny. I'm guessing that's a generic ketchup," Katie offered. "That brain looks pretty good though."

"Yeah, but brains are easy to get. If they're going wash the screen in blood, these guys need to invest a little more of their budget in the good stuff. God knows they're not spending the money on actors."

Tyler couldn't take it anymore. "Would the two of you please shut up about the blood? I'm trying to enjoy the story," he snapped. "Save the commentary for the video rewind."

"Sorry, Ty," Katie and Matthew said in unison, neither sounding the least bit apologetic. At that moment, the psycho was stalking his next victim. As he got closer and closer, Katie slid the rest of the way over to Alex and eased back against him. She felt his arm go around her shoulder as her body relaxed. "Is this comfortable? I don't want to hurt you."

"You're not hurting me." His fingers gently stroked her shoulder. "I'll let you know if I start to get uncomfortable."

The movie continued, victims falling like flies, until the final, not-so-thrilling conclusion.

"Well, that sucked!" Katie announced, as Tyler pushed rewind on the VCR. "I say we officially place that one in the sucks-too-much-to-see-again basket. All those in favor, say 'aye'." A unanimous chorus of 'aye' resounded through the loft. "The motion carries, I Dismember Mama is hereby removed from the viewing list from this day forward. Tyler, name the next movie."

Tyler reached into the bag and pulled out the next case in line. "I offer you C.H.U.D., Mistress Katie," he announced with a flourish.

Katie waved him off regally. "You may proceed."

"Chud?" Alex asked, looking confused.

"Cannibalistic. Humanoid. Underground. Dwellers; C.H.U.D." she whispered. "It'll all make sense as you watch the movie."

"Sure it will," he replied, raising his eyebrows. Katie turned her head; just enough so he could see her smile, then let her head fall to his shoulder. Alex smiled and began stroking her arm. The movie began, as did the catcalls; MST3K had nothing on Tyler, Katie and Matthew. About halfway through, Katie sat up to grab another glass of wine. She offered some to Alex, but he declined. She downed that glass and poured another. By the time the movie ended, she was feeling no pain. She sat up on the edge of the couch and issued her stock proclamation. "The time is almost at hand, my lovelies. Soon the midnight hour will arrive and with it, our annual visit to the shrine of the Master. Go and prepare yourselves, for the exits will be closed for this feature film," Katie announced.

"The Master?" Alex asked.

Tyler and Matthew made a show of gasping at his display of ignorance. Katie shushed them. "Stop teasing him; you knew he was a virgin when we started this."

"Hey, who you calling a virgin," Alex huffed. "I've seen the Nightmare on Elm Street movies and Friday the 13th movies;

I'm not completely horror-free." Katie patted him on the leg. "Yes, so you've said. However, until you've been taken by the Master, you are still considered a virgin. Now tell me sweetheart, have you ever experienced Night of the Living Dead?" Alex looked uncomfortable as he shook his head. Katie let out an evil giggle and wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. "Good. George is going to love having someone as pretty as you, adorning his trophy wall. If you'll excuse me, I need to make a pit stop before our feature begins." Katie got up and walked, unsteadily, to the bathroom.

"Oh man, she's gone," Matthew snickered. "We'd better hide the sangria or her next trip in will be to offer up a prayer to the porcelain God. How many glasses has she had, Alex?"

Alex shrugged. "Four, I think. I wasn't keeping track. I know she threw back one of them like it was fruit punch."

Matthew nodded. "Yeah, she does that. OK, let's get it out of here. Tyler, you take the food, I'll grab the sangria and Katie's glass. If we dilute it with a little soda, she'll think she has a full glass and won't miss the bottle." Tyler picked up the food and followed Matthew into the kitchen.

"Anything I can do?" Alex called.

"Yeah," Matthew answered. "Get up and walk around for a few minutes. You've been sitting in the same position for too long."

Alex slid to edge of the couch and pushed himself up. He attempted a deep breath and immediately regretted it. The action caused his knees to buckle and he had to clutch the arm of the couch to keep from sinking to the floor. Matthew saw what was happening and rushed out to help. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, just tried to take a breath. I'm OK now." He straightened up and strolled over to the window. The sky was clear and dark thanks to a waxing moon. A full moon might be more desirable for Halloween, but he preferred the darker nights.

"Too bad the streetlights are so bright," Katie said, slipping in beside him. "You don't know how many nights I've considered breaking them to get a better look at the stars."

"You want I should shoot 'em out for you?" Alex asked, in his best Don Corleone imitation.

Katie giggled. "You'd do that for me?"

Alex swung his left arm around her. "This is a simple thing you ask for. I think we can come to some kind of...arrangement." Katie giggled and pressed herself up against his side. 'She really doesn't mind the arm,' he thought, somewhat surprised. 'Either that, or she's too drunk to notice.' Katie touched his fingers, watching as he touched hers in return.

"I wondered if the fingers moved," she said, interlacing them with hers.

"I'll never be good at sleight of hand, but they're functional." He looked down at her, tightened his grip slightly, and smiled.

"Hey you two, it's almost midnight," Tyler yelled. "Let's get the show on the road."

They reluctantly left the serenity of the window and returned to the couch. Tyler was standing at the VCR, holding the video in one hand, a glass of sangria in the other. "And now, we pay homage to the Grand Master of Low Budget Horror, George Romero. A toast." He raised his glass, while the others followed his lead. "To George!" he announced.

"To George," they echoed. Katie took a big swig and swallowed, then gave the glass a funny look. She took another sip and decided it tasted a little weak, but still good.

Tyler popped the tape into the machine. "And now, without further ado, I give you Night of the Living Dead." He returned to the loveseat, but hesitated before sitting down. "Alex, you'd better watch out for that one," he warned. "This movie makes her jumpy."

Alex put his arm around Katie. "Is this true, Katya?"

"Guilty as charged, Alexei." Katie glared at Tyler. "Thanks for sharing, Ty."

"Just doing my part, Katie," Tyler snickered.

"I'm glad he did; gives me an excuse to do this," he said, as he pulled her in close and hugged her tight. Katie nestled in and stuck her tongue out at Tyler.

Just as the movie was starting, Matthew got up. "Where do you think you're going?" Katie asked.

"We forgot to turn off the lights," he replied. He flipped the switches, then sat down beside Tyler. "Much better, we can't have Alex losing his cherry in the light now, can we?"

Tyler and Katie snickered, while Alex groaned and felt his face flush. 'Maybe having the lights out wasn't such a bad idea after all,' he thought. He gave Katie a squeeze and focused his attention on the movie. After a while, he started drawing little circles on her arm with his fingers. Every so often, he would feel her jump; although on a couple of those occasions, he wasn't sure which one of them was actually doing the jumping. As he got used to the action, Alex stopped being startled; Katie, the seasoned veteran, continued to react as if she was seeing the movie for the first time. The music picked up, letting everyone know that something really awful was about to happen. When it did, Katie turned away from both the screen and Alex. Suddenly, Alex found his fingers caressing not

Katie's arm, but her right breast. He whipped his hand away, when he realized where it was, and rested it on the back of the couch. "Sorry, Katya. I didn't mean..."he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"S'OK," she whispered. "Do you hear me complaining?" Katie was flushed and tingling all over, feeling very much like a teenager on her first date.

Alex relaxed and put his hand back on her arm. "No, I don't."

"Then shut up and watch the movie." Katie snuggled back into Alex and watched the rest of the show, all the while hoping that he'd let his hand slip once again, but knowing that he wouldn't. When the movie ended, Matthew turned on a few lights, while Tyler hit rewind.

"So Alex, what did you think?" Matthew asked.

"I think I need a cigarette, Matthew," Alex replied. He sent a sidelong glance in Katie's direction, causing her face to redden slightly.

"Ah yes," Tyler chimed in. "George Romero deflowers yet another innocent. Film at eleven." He ejected the tape from the VCR and put it back in its box. "So people, it's almost two. I know it's a little early as our marathons go, but it's been a long couple of day. Personally, I'm ready to call it quits."

"I agree. It has been a long couple of days for all of us," Matthew added.

"Party poopers." Katie scowled. "We're just getting started here! You're just quitting because you don't want to watch Hookers, aren't you?"

Tyler walked over and kissed Katie on the cheek. "I promise, I'll sit right here and watch it with you tomorrow morning, if you want me to. Right now, I'm going into the bathroom to brush my teeth, and then I'm going to bed. I assume we're taking your room tonight, Katie?" Tyler said, through a yawn.

Katie nodded and yawned herself. "Yeah, I've been staying with Alex since he got here. He doesn't really need me to be in there anymore, but one more night won't hurt anything."

"OK," Tyler replied. He left for the bathroom, giving Matthew a quick kiss as he passed by.

"Wait for me." Matthew followed Tyler into the bathroom and closed the door behind them.

Alex waited until the door shut before addressing Katie's statement. "What do you mean 'I don't need you in there anymore'? Who's going to sing me to sleep after a bad dream?" he chided. "Besides," he added, wiggling his eyebrows. "You've just taken my virginity. Don't you think you owe me the courtesy of staying with me?"

Katie chuckled. "Well, since you put it that way, I suppose I should stay the night. I wouldn't want your tender sensibilities to be damaged by the experience."

"Thank you," he said, kissing her hand. "I was beginning to feel so...cheap."

"Certainly wouldn't want to make you feel cheap," Katie said with a smile. "Why don't you go ahead and get changed."

Alex stood up and tried to stretch. "Might take me a few minutes," he warned.

"No hurry," she replied. "I'll just sit here and enjoy this buzz I've got going. Come and get me when you've finished changing."

Alex patted her on the arm and left to change. Katie closed her eyes and let the full effects of the wine and the evening sweep over her. She could still feel his fingers on her breast. His caress had been an accident; she knew that. Still, she couldn't help wishing it hadn't been. Maybe next time, it would be intentional. Katie sighed.

Tyler and Matthew came out of the bathroom and found Katie half-asleep, on the couch. Matthew gently nudged her. "Thought you weren't tired?" he teased. "Bathroom's free." He looked around. "Where's Alex?"

Katie yawned and pointed at the bedroom. "Getting changed." She stood up and stretched. "Guess I'd better grab the bathroom while I can. Sleep well you two." She started to walk to the bathroom, then turned around. "Are you going out for bagels in the morning, Ty?"

"Don't I always?"

"Sorry, stupid question. Pick up a few extra sourdough then, would you, please?"

"Sure. Sweet dreams, Katie."

"Same to you, Ty."

Katie closed the bathroom door and began the bedtime ritual of face washing and tooth brushing. The cold water on her face woke her up a little and she looked at herself in the mirror. Staring back at her was the goofiest grin she'd seen in a long time. She pointed at the person in front of her and shook her finger. "You are sooo transparent! Get a grip, girlfriend or that man is going to set a new land speed record getting out the door." Katie continued to stare, hoping that her expression would magically change. When it didn't, she sighed and dried her face on the towel. She opened the door and was startled to find Alex waiting outside.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked, peering into the bathroom.

"No one," Katie replied. "Just myself."

"They say that's the first sign of insanity, you know," Alex warned.

"What's the second?" she challenged.

He leaned in close and spoke in low tones. "Bringing unconscious, injured men back to your apartment and healing their wounds. Followed by taking them into your whirlpool bath and singing them to sleep."

"Mmmm. Insanity sounds nice."

Alex chuckled and closed the bathroom door. Katie tapped on it immediately after. "Alexei?" Alex opened the door a crack and peeked out. "Does insanity also include letting the formerly unconscious man grope you while watching scary movies?" she asked innocently, watching as his face turned crimson. She giggled and ran to the bedroom, before he could answer. Once in the bedroom, she changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. When Alex returned and settled into the recliner, Katie reached over and turned out the light. Alex started to say something a couple of times, before getting up the nerve to actually put a voice to his words.

"Katya?"

"Yes, Alexei?"

"It really was an accident."

Katie snickered into her pillow. "I know."

Alex was quiet for a few minutes, leading Katie to wonder if he'd fallen asleep. She was almost there herself, when he spoke again.

"Katya?"

"Yes, Alexei?"

"The next time won't be."

A delicious shiver ran through her body. "Good." Katie could almost hear him smiling in the darkened room and wondered if he could tell that she was smiling as well. She waited until she could hear his breathing change, before allowing sleep to claim her.

Alex awoke the next morning to the sounds of movement in the other room. He looked at Katie sleeping soundly on the bed and grinned. Getting up quietly, he slipped out of the bedroom to see what was going on. Tyler and Matthew were dressed and giving the refrigerator the once over. "Morning," he said to the two of them.

"Morning, Alex. Did you sleep well?" Matthew asked.

Alex nodded. "You guys going somewhere?"

"Yeah, we're heading out to pick up some bagels for breakfast. I thought I'd check to see if Katie needed anything else before we left," Tyler replied. "Any requests?"

"Yeah, can I ask a favor?"

Matthew nodded. "Sure, what do you need?"

"I'd like to go pick up my car and the rest of my stuff before someone decides I've run out on the tab at the hotel."

"We can do that. You shouldn't be driving anyway. Where do we need to go?" Matthew asked.

"The Ellstrom." Alex turned back to go into the bedroom. "Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Let me go toss some clothes on; I'll be right out."

"The Ellstrom? For an unemployed drifter, this boy lives pretty well, Matthew."

Matthew looked perplexed. "Yes he does. Hmmm, maybe this would be a good time to find out more about our new friend."

Alex came out of the bedroom and started looking around. "We should leave Katie a note. I don't want her to wake up and think we've run out on her. Tyler pointed to the computer.

"Should we tell him that Katie already knows we're making a bagel run?" Tyler whispered to Matthew.

Matthew shook his head. "No, let him leave the note. It'll mean a lot to Katie."

Alex finished his note, walked back into the bedroom and placed it on the nightstand. He pulled the blankets up around her shoulders and closed the door as he left the room. "All set."

"OK, let's go," Matthew said, picking up his car keys. "You might want to grab a jacket, Alex. It's only 42 outside."

"The only one I have is being repaired." Alex shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

Tyler rolled his eyes and went back to the rack by the dryer. He rummaged through the clothes until he found what he was looking for; Matthew's old Pirates jacket that Katie had rescued years ago, when Tyler was going through one of his closet cleaning binges. "Here," he said, handing the jacket to Alex. "Put this on. If we let you go out without a jacket and you get sick, Katie will never let us hear the end of it." Alex shook his head, but put on the jacket. He took one last look at the bedroom door, before following Matthew and Tyler into the elevator. They got off the elevator at street level, but exited through the back of the elevator into the bottom floor of the warehouse.

"Nice garage!" Alex joked.

"It'll do in a pinch," Matthew laughed. "Beats parking on the street."

"I guess so. What is she going to do with all this space?" Alex asked.

"Right now, she uses it for parking and storage space. We've been known to use it as our own personal skating rink, but other than that, I don't know as she has any real plans for it," Matthew explained, as he unlocked the car doors. "Tell you what," Matthew said to Tyler, as they got into the car. "Let's swing by the Ellstrom first and grab Alex's things, then we can hit the shop on the way back. We didn't decide we needed to get anything else, did we?" he asked as he pulled away from the curb.

"No, just the bagels this time," Tyler answered. He turned to look at Alex. "So Alex, the Ellstrom is a pretty ritzy place. A bit pricey for someone who's between jobs."

Alex fought back a smile. Very smooth, Tyler, subtle as a heart attack. "I have a little money put aside," he responded, nonchalantly.

"What is it that you used to do exactly? You haven't said to much about your former occupation," Matthew inquired.

That's better, Alex thought, just come out and ask. Now, how to answer? He hesitated before starting his response. " I used to be a consultant for an international consortium. The focus shifted last year and I decided that I no longer wanted to be associated with the group. Since then, I haven't found anything to which I feel the need to make a commitment."

"What kind of consulting did you do?" Tyler asked.

"Most of it was confidential in nature. I can't talk about it." Alex felt he had explained enough and was relieved to see the hotel in the distance. Matthew parked the car in the lot and the three of them went into the hotel. Alex asked for his key at the desk. "I'm going to be picking up my things and checking out this morning," he told the clerk. "Would you get my bill ready for me please." The clerk nodded and began printing out the paperwork. Alex headed over to the elevator and pushed the button. "I'm going to run up and get my things. Shouldn't take but a few minutes. Unless you want to come up with me," he offered.

"No, that's OK. We'll wait for you down here," Matthew said.

Alex stepped onto the elevator and pushed the button for his floor. When he got upstairs, he threw his clothes into the suitcase and grabbed the rest of his things from the bathroom. His keys were still sitting on the dresser, where he'd left them the other night. He smiled as jingled the keys in his hand. The hotel was nothing compared to his car. He couldn't wait to see the look on their faces when they got a load of that little surprise. Certain that he hadn't forgotten anything, Alex picked up his suitcase and left the room. The suitcase wasn't that heavy, but it was more than he should be carrying, and his ribs let him know that in no uncertain terms. He dropped it on the floor of the elevator, hoping that he wouldn't look too silly pushing it out of the door in the lobby. Fortunately, Matthew was waiting when the elevator opened. He stepped in and picked up the suitcase. "Thanks, Matthew."

"No problem. I should have thought about that before letting you go up by yourself."

Alex went to the front desk, signed the bill and turned in his key. The clerk handed him the receipt and wished him a good day.

"All right, car's out in the lot. Follow me," Alex said.

Matthew and Tyler followed him out to the lot, both wondering what kind of vehicle they should be looking for. Tyler had him figured for a four-wheel drive, while Matthew was picturing a Taurus, for some reason. Both stared in disbelief when Alex stopped in front of a car and identified it as his. "You're kidding, right?" Tyler asked.

"Nope, this is it." Alex replied.

Matthew dropped the suitcase and began a slow trip around the vehicle. He touched the car reverently, like it was something holy. Tyler was duly impressed, but Matthew was falling all over himself. "A Ferrari 456 GTA 2+2! Oh my God! I've only seen pictures of these. My God man, how much did that consortium pay you?"

Alex laughed. "I told you, I have money stashed away." He jingled the keys to get Matthew's attention, then tossed them to him. "Here, why don't you drive. You don't mind if Matthew takes the wheel first, do you Tyler? I'll let you take her out for a spin later."

Tyler shook his head. "Fine with me; this is Matthew's wet dream, not mine."

Matthew weighed the keys in his hand, not believing that he was about to get behind the wheel of a Ferrari. He stood there, transfixed, completely forgetting that he was not alone.

"Uh, Matthew?" Alex nudged him. "Matthew?"

Matthew turned and forced himself out of his car-induced stupor. "Hmmm? What? Oh, sorry, Alex."

Alex chuckled. "You want to put the suitcase in the trunk so we can get out of here?"

"Yeah. Sure. You're really going to let me drive this?" Matthew asked.

"Well, I can't drive it right now and Tyler doesn't seem all that interested, so it's up to you. If you don't think you can handle it, we can bring Katie here later and let her drive it home." Alex chided.

"NO! I can do it," Matthew said quickly.

"I'll be fine." He opened the trunk and put in the suitcase, gently closing the hood when he was done. "I'll meet you at the shop," he added, as he opened the door and slid behind the wheel. Tyler and Alex waited while Matthew started the engine. They snickered as they heard him rev it up a few times, before leaving the parking lot.

"How much you wanna bet we get to the shop before he does?" Tyler asked.

"No doubt," Alex said, smiling. "Let him have some fun. I won't be able to drive for a few more weeks; someone should enjoy her company."

Tyler headed over to his car. "Let's go get those bagels. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

They got into the car and drove the few blocks to MacCreedy's. It was Alex's turn to be surprised, when Tyler pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the front door. He was further shocked by the fact that MacCreedy's wasn't just a bakery, but a bookstore, too, a warm, inviting bookstore, with a small cafe in the back. He could smell the fresh bread being baked in the cafe's kitchen.

Alex followed Tyler through the store and into the back, trying to take in as much of the store as he could.

"Good morning, Mr. MacCreedy," one of the cooks said to Tyler.

"Same to you, Lisa," Tyler replied. "How are the bagels this morning?"

"Delicious as always," she said, with a grin. "Do you want the usual?"

"Yes, ma'am. But toss in a few extra sourdough." He leaned in and whispered loudly to her. "I think our Katie's in love." Alex looked away, trying desperately to ignore Tyler, but failing miserably.

"With him?" Lisa asked, pointing at Alex. Tyler nodded. "What's his name?"

"Alex," Tyler whispered.

"Uh, huh. Alex," she called. Alex turned to look at her. "You like our Katie?"

Alex shifted his feet uncomfortably, but looked her in the eye. "Yes ma'am, I do."

Lisa crossed her arms and gave him the once over, frowning slightly as she did. "You and Dr. Curry approve of this young man, Mr. MacCreedy?" she asked Tyler, never taking her eyes off of Alex.

"He'll do, Lisa," Tyler decided. "The jury's still out where Matthew is concerned, but he'll cave; he always does. Katie likes him, so it doesn't much matter what we think either way."

"Well, all right then." She leveled her gaze at Alex. "Alex, you better be good to her. Katie's special to all of us here and we don't take kindly to anyone who hurts her. You understand?"

Alex smiled. "Yes ma'am, I understand. I'll be good to her."

Lisa let out a sigh. "You better be, 'cause if I find out that you hurt her, your name's gonna be gracing our menu, right here under 'sandwich of the day'." She shook her finger at him and grinned. "Keep that in mind, young man."

"Oh, yes ma'am. I'll remember that," Alex said with a nod.

Lisa went back to collect the bagels for Tyler. Alex was a little stunned by what had just transpired, so he turned to Tyler. "Did I pass?"

"You're still standing, aren't you?" Tyler responded. "Just don't get on her bad side."

"Thanks for the warning." Alex looked around the store. "You own this place, Tyler?" Tyler nodded. "It's great! How long have you been here?"

"A little over 8 years. Katie was my first customer. Actually, she was here before the place even opened. She had to check out the new store and see if I was going to be carrying her books. A few days later, she brought Matthew by to meet me and the rest, as they say, is history."

"Did I hear my name?" Matthew asked, as he slipped out of the kitchen. "Alex, that car is incredible. I parked it behind the store. Something like that shouldn't be left out on the street." He leaned over and gave Tyler a kiss. "Bagels ready? I'm starving."

"Lisa's getting them as we speak. Why don't you go on ahead; I can tell you're dying to get back behind the wheel. We'll meet you at the loft in about 15 minutes," Tyler offered.

"OK, see ya," Matthew called, as he bolted for the door.

"He's in a good mood," Alex observed.

"Yes he is. Too bad it's so early in the day. That's one mood I wouldn't mind hanging on to for a few hours, if you know what I mean," Tyler said, giving Alex a wink.

"Maybe I can help you out with that," Alex hinted. Tyler raised his eyebrows, causing Alex to snicker. "I could let Matthew drive it home tonight. That way, you get a chance to take both the car, and

Matthew, for a spin," Alex replied, returning the wink.

"You'd do that for me?" Tyler asked incredulously.

"Sure. Why not? It's the least I can do, after everything you and Matthew have done for me," Alex said with a shrug. "Just one request. Grab the blanket from under the seat before you go." Tyler gave him a questioning look. "The seats are leather..." Tyler's eyes widened as comprehension struck and his mouth hit the floor.

"Alex! You are so bad!" Tyler exclaimed, just as Lisa walked out with the bag of bagels. Tyler's face reddened and he hoped that Lisa hadn't overheard the bulk of the conversation. "Thank you, Lisa. You ready to go, Alex? Alex nodded. "Great. Let's get out of here."

They were quiet for the short drive home. Matthew pulled up just after they parked the car. When he got out of the Ferrari, Matthew's face was practically glowing. He opened the trunk and pulled out Alex's suitcase. He handed the keys back to Alex, who went over to unlock the car door. "I'll be right up. Just want to grab something out of the back." He opened the door, then called over to Tyler. "Hey Ty, can you give me a hand?" Tyler handed the bagels to Matthew and sent him upstairs.

"Yeah, what do need?"

"Nothing," Alex grinned. "I just wanted to show you where the blanket was." He pulled a corner of it out from under the passenger seat. "Should I leave it here or toss it on the seat?"

"You weren't joking?" Tyler asked, in shock. "I thought you were kidding about letting us take the car."

"No, I was serious. Here," he said, tossing Tyler the keys. "Knock yourself out." Tyler snatched the keys in mid-air and dropped them into his jacket pocket. "Come on, we better get up there before Matthew gets suspicious." Tyler nodded and followed Alex to the elevator.

The door opened and the smell of toasted bagels filled the air. Matthew was at the table, happily munching away. "Sorry guys, I had to go ahead and start without you," Matthew mumbled.

Tyler went into the kitchen and grabbed a bagel for himself. "Want one, Alex?"

"Yeah, sourdough." He looked around the loft. "Is Katie still asleep?" Matthew nodded. "Make it two, Ty. I'm going to go wake Katie."

Alex knocked gently on the door, before opening it. Katie was lying in bed, reading the note he'd left for her. "Hi. Thanks for the note."

"I didn't want you to think I'd run out on you," he said softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Hungry? Tyler's making a couple of bagels for us. Sourdough."

"I know, I can smell them." She sat up and stretched. "How'd you like Tyler's store? Isn't it great?"

"Very nice. I'd like to go back and spend a little time there someday. You'll have to come with me though. I don't think Lisa will let me in without you there," he teased.

Katie giggled. "Oh, you met Lisa? Don't worry about her, she's all bluster, no bite. Still, I should probably go with you, just to be on the safe side. Now scoot, so I can get up out of this thing and claim my bagel."

Alex stood up and headed for the door. "Better make it quick, Katya. Smells so good, I might just finish yours off before you get there."

Katie jumped out of the bed and caught up with him, just outside the bedroom door. She patted his arm as she passed by. "You know, that threat will be much more effective in a few weeks."

Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Got you out of bed, didn't it?" Katie stuck her tongue out at him and tried to pull away. He held on tight and leaned over. "Better watch where you point that thing," he whispered. "Could get you in trouble someday."

"I'm counting on it," she whispered back.

"Morning, Katie," Matthew called out, wiping the crumbs from his mouth. "Wait until you get a load of Alex's car, it's gorgeous; a Ferrari 456 GTA 2+2. Alex let me drive it over here."

"A Ferrari?" Katie asked. "That explains the glow on Matthew's face. Gee Ty, I figured you were responsible for that."

"No," Tyler sighed. "I've been temporarily displaced, I'm afraid."

Matthew got up and embraced Tyler. "Are you feeling neglected, darling?" Matthew asked, kissing Tyler's neck.

Tyler leaned back against him and dropped his head back against Matthew's chest. "Yes I am, but I know how you can make it up to me." Tyler winked at Alex, causing Katie to give Alex a bewildered look. "You can take me home, right now."

"Now? But it's still early, Ty, and you promised Katie you'd watch the movie with her," Matthew protested.

Katie started to chime in, but Alex stopped her. "Shhh, I'll explain later," he whispered. "You know, Matthew, I think our trip this morning was a little more than I was ready for. I'm going to go lie down anyway. Katya and I can watch the movie later on. Isn't that right, Katya?"

Katie tried to hide her confusion. "Um, yeah, sure we can. Get out of here, you two."

"OK, if you're sure," Matthew replied.

"They're sure," Tyler said. He grabbed Matthew's hand and pulled him to the door. "Come on, let's go."

"I guess we'll see you later," Matthew called, as Tyler dragged him into the elevator.

Katie and Alex waved goodbye. When the elevator door closed, Alex started snickering, pressing against his ribs to cut down on the pain. "Now will you tell me what's going on?" Katie asked. "And what is so damned funny?"

By the time Alex finished his story, Katie was doubled over with laughter. "You really asked him to get the blanket? Oh my God, Alexei!"

Alex had to hold his sides tightly; his own laughter was causing him extreme discomfort, but every time she laughed, he couldn't help but join in. "Hey, those seats are fine Corinthian leather," he managed to gasp, making every effort to sound like Ricardo Montalban.

Katie got the connection and fell over on the couch. "Oh stop! I'm going to be sick," she cried.

"Try it with cracked ribs," he shot back. "Oh, God, I think I'm going to pass out."

"I'm sorry, Alexei," she giggled. "OK, let's calm down. No more laughing now. It's time to be serious." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating on unfunny thoughts. When she opened her eyes, Katie thought she'd gotten herself under control. Then, she looked at Alex smiling at her, and the giggles started all over again.

"Katya! Cut it out," Alex snickered. "Oh, I think I'm dying here. It hurts," he moaned.

"Poor baby," Katie crooned. "I know how to make you feel better. Stay right there." Katie got up and left. He watched her go into the bathroom and heard the sound of water filling the tub. When she returned, she had a glass of water and a couple of pills in her hand. "Take these, then go get your suit on and soak in the tub for a while. You'll feel better in no time."

He took the pills, then forced himself up off the couch and into the bathroom. It took him a little while, but he was able to get the suit on, the arm off, and swing his legs over the edge of the tub. He waited to see if she was going to join him and when she didn't come in, he called out to her. She came in seconds later, still dressed in her pajamas. "Aren't you coming in with me?" he asked.

"Do you want me to? I thought you might need some time alone."

"I've spent too much time alone, Katya."

"I know the feeling." She leaned against the door. " My suit's out by the dryer. Go ahead and get in; I'll be back in a few."

Alex eased into the tub and let the warmth and the jets ease his aching body. He closed his eyes and waited for Katie to join him. True to her word, he felt her slip in beside him minutes later. "Feeling any better yet?" she asked.

"A little."

"That's a start. Don't fall asleep on me in here. There's no way I'll be able to pull you out of this thing. If you start to get really tired, let me know," she requested.

"I will. What did you give me anyway? Was that the stuff Matthew prescribed?"

"Yeah, Tylenol with codeine. It's the codeine that you have to watch out for. It knocks some people out."

"Codeine doesn't affect me much," he said, opening his eyes. "I won't fall asleep on you."

"How's your knee?"

He raised it up out of the water so she could see it for herself. "Looks awful, and it aches, but it's not too bad. I've hardly noticed it today."

"Good."

"Katya?"

"Yes Alexei?"

"Could we sit here for a while and not talk?" He shifted so that there were no gaps between them. "I just want to enjoy being here with you, in the water. Is that OK?"

Katie nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. "Sounds nice."

They sat quietly for the next twenty-five minutes, listening to the sound of the bubbles in the tub. Alex's breathing changed and Katie realized that he was falling asleep. As much as she hated to do it, she had to wake him up and get him out of the tub, before it was too late.

"Alexei," she whispered. "Wake up, time to get out of the pool."

"I'm awake," he said sleepily.

"Then open your eyes and prove it to me," she challenged.

"Don't want to," he grumbled.

"Really, Alexei, you have to wake up and get out. It's dangerous to sleep in here. Please, open your eyes," she pleaded.

Alex forced his eyes open. The look of concern on her face took him by surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, looking down into the water. He lifted her chin and waited until she looked at him again. "I was afraid that you'd fall asleep and slip under the water. I'm paranoid about that,

OK? I shouldn't have given you those pills before sending you in here, that was stupid."

"Hush, the pills had nothing to do with it. I didn't get enough sleep last night and I over did things this morning. Everything's fine. Come on, let's get out of this thing." They climbed out and toweled off. Katie went to her room to change, Alex went to his to do the same. Instead of putting on jeans, he put on a pair of pajamas. Deciding that a nap was in his best interest, he got into the recliner and closed his eyes. He was asleep almost as soon as his head his the back of the chair.

Katie changed into jeans and a sweatshirt, then went to check on Alex. The door was open, so she walked in. She smiled when she found him asleep on the chair. Picking his suit up off the floor, she carried it out of the room, closing the door around as she left. She hung both suits up to dry in the bathroom, then went to her computer to work. She opened the file she'd started yesterday and reread what she'd written so far. The ideas started flowing again and her fingers typed furiously, trying to keep pace with her thoughts. Hours passed without her noticing. When the ideas finally slowed down, she leaned back and reviewed her progress. The smell of food cooking distracted her and she turned to see what was going on behind her. Alex was in the kitchen preparing something that smelled wonderful. Looking at the clock, she was startled to see that it was almost 6. She hit Save and closed the file for the evening. Then, she got up and walked out into the kitchen. "How long have you been up?"

Alex grinned. "Glad to see you finally noticed I was here," he joked. "I've been up for the past four hours. You were deep into your work, so I sat on the couch and read. I finished Paranoia, by the way. Was that your first novel?"

"Yeah, it was," Katie scowled. "It wasn't very good; then the editors got a hold of it and made it even worse. I will never understand why anyone bought that book; it was a real stinker."

"So, it wasn't your best effort. You redeemed yourself later on. Go sit down, dinner's ready."

Alex had prepared a simple meal of spaghetti and garlic bread. Katie didn't talk much while they ate. She seemed distracted, so he didn't push. When she finished, he cleared the plate, then followed her back to the computer. "Can I help?" he asked. Katie hesitated. "If you don't want me to, just tell me, Katya. I thought..."

"Oh, Alexei. I'm sorry. Yeah, I want your help. Would you read this and tell me where I'm going wrong?" She pushed back from the computer and vacated the chair. Alex sat down and began to read, while Katie paced the floor behind him.

Thus began a pattern. In the morning, Katie would wake up and head straight to the computer. If Alex woke up at the same time, he would make her eat something first. Throughout the day, he would make sure she had something to drink on her desk, while he busied himself reading, doing the odd household chore and making dinner. After dinner, she would ask him to read what she'd written, pacing the floor behind him until he was finished. He'd make his comments, positive or negative, throw out ideas and play Devil's Advocate whenever he felt her thoughts had gone astray. They argued sometimes, agreed others, then moved to the whirlpool for some quiet, non-work related conversation. The evening always ended with Katie kissing Alex's forehead, before he fell asleep in the recliner.

Tyler dropped in a few times, to bring Alex his car keys, his jacket and to check up on the groceries in the loft. He made sure that the pantry and refrigerator stayed full for them. Some nights, he and Matthew would come by for dinner and watch the nighttime reading ritual with amusement.

Two weeks passed, with little change in the routine. Alex's ribs were healing nicely, and while he still ached, breathing was becoming easier every day. As his health improved, his desire to be closer to Katie grew stronger. Those kisses on the forehead and hand were nice, but they weren't enough. A couple of times he considered grabbing her and kissing her long and hard, but he resisted; that was the old Alex, the one who sucked at relationships. An old song line ran through his mind every time he thought about making an abrupt move on her, 'something tells me I'm into something good.' He was 'into something good', he realized and he didn't want to make the mistake of rushing things this time.

The morning of the sixteenth day started just as the others before it. Alex continued to keep Katie in drinks and read another of the books from her extensive collection, but mostly, he watched her work. As he was making dinner, he decided that enough was enough. He'd held back, in spite of her hints that his advances were welcome, for long enough. There was no way he was ready for anything major tonight, but he could show her that he was looking for more than a kiss on the head or hand. The decision made, he found that he couldn't stop smiling. Katie mentioned his good mood a few times between dinner and the whirlpool. He shrugged it off, not wanting to tip his hand. Instead of going into the bedroom after brushing his teeth, he went to the window and stared out into the night. He couldn't have asked for a more beautiful evening; the moon was a few days off full and shining brightly. Katie joined him at the window. When he smiled down at her, she took his head in hers hands and planted a kiss on it. Seeing his opening, he dove in while he had the chance.

"You do that a lot, you know," he said, as looked out the window.

"What?" Katie asked.

"Kiss me on the forehead." He turned to face her. "Not that I don't like it," he added quickly. "It's just that...well...it's becoming routine."

Katie raised an eyebrow at him. "OK. So, what would you suggest?"

"I was thinking maybe you could kiss me on the cheek once in a while; just for a change of pace."

Katie raised up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek softly. "Like this?"

Alex smiled. "Yeah, like that. A change of pace is good sometimes, don't you think?"

"Definitely," Katie replied.

They stood there quietly, looking out at the night sky. "You know," Alex started again. "As nice as that was, I think there's still room for improvement." He turned, facing her head on, then took her head in his hands. He was a little self-conscious about the one hand touching her face, but she didn't seem to mind, so he willed the feeling away. Lowering his face to hers, he paused just shy of her mouth. "What if we try this?" Slowly, giving her time to back away, if she so desired, he moved down to her mouth. When she didn't object, he pressed his lips to hers, giving her the gentle first kiss he'd been waiting weeks to deliver. He pulled away, never taking his eyes off of her.

Katie's eyes opened slowly and a smiled formed on her face. "I thought you'd never do that," she sighed. "What took you so long?"

Alex rested his fingers on her cheek and ran his thumb across her lips. "I didn't want to rush it. I've rushed into every relationship I've ever had, Katya, and they've all been disasters. That's not going to happen this time."

Katie kissed his thumb as it made another pass across her lips. "It won't happen this time, Alexei; we're supposed to be together. I told you, it's Fate."

"Maybe so," he said quietly. "But even Fate doesn't like to be taken for granted." He gazed down at her and smiled. "I have to do this my way, Katya; at my pace. Will you allow that?"

Katie chuckled at the role-reversal he was proposing. "Of course. Take all the time you need. That's not going to stop me from putting the moves on you, you know?" Alex chuckled, too. "But, I'll back off when you say the word," she added. "You lead, I'll follow."

"Good," he said, taking her hand. "Follow me over here." Alex pulled her across the room and over to the couch. He sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him.

Katie sat down beside him. "So, what do you want to do for the rest of the evening?" She already knew the answer she wanted to hear, but after his speech at the window, Katie wasn't sure what to expect.

"This," he said, just before swooping down and claiming her mouth. He kissed her long and hard, just like he'd stopped himself from doing days before. When he broke the kiss, Katie's eyes were wide with surprise.

"I thought you wanted to take this slow?" she gasped.

"It's only kissing, Katya," he said, reaching down to kiss her again. "Didn't you ever just make out on a date?"

"Sure. Is this a date?"

"Yes it is," he said. "And this," he kissed her quickly. "Is where," he kissed her again. "The making out," yet another kiss. "Begins," he finished, pulling her almost into his lap and pressing his lips against hers. He flicked his tongue at her lower lip, until she opened her mouth slightly, just enough for him to slip inside. They stayed on the couch for the next 45 minutes, kissing, touching, learning what the other liked. Alex's hand stroked her back and up her side, inching closer to her breast, but stopping short each time. She tried to shift so he would get the idea and touch her, but he was on to her.

"Alex," she whispered. "Isn't this the 'next time' when it 'won't be an accident'?" she asked.

Alex pulled back reluctantly and shook his head. "Nope. This is the time where I walk my date back to her door and kiss her goodnight." He stood up and held out his hand. She took it and followed him. To her surprise, he led her to her room.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm walking you home," he replied.

"But..." she started to protest.

"Shhh," he said, pressing a finger to her lips. "You have to sleep in your own bed tonight, because I'm going to try sleeping in mine."

"We can still share," she whispered. "I promise to keep my hands to myself."

"That's a promise I can't make," he answered. "Which is why you're sleeping in here." He kissed her again. "We're doing this my way, remember?" Katie lowered her head in defeat and nodded. "Good. Now go to bed. I'll see you at breakfast." Alex lifted her chin and kissed her one last time. "Goodnight, Katya."

"Goodnight, Alexei. Thank you for a lovely evening," she said, smiling.

"You're welcome. Get some sleep." He blew her a kiss and backed away, not turning until she'd gone behind the partition. When he couldn't see her anymore, he turned around and walked into the bedroom.

The next morning began like every other morning. Alex was awake and making breakfast by the time Katie got out of the shower. They made small talk over their food; then Katie hit the computer and started working. Neither mentioned the 'date' last night, but both had it in the forefront of their minds. By noon, Alex realized that he'd read the same page repeatedly and still had no idea what was going on in the story. Katie was having a similar concentration problem; she'd written exactly three sentences and two of them contained typos. She turned around to see what Alex was doing and found him sitting on the couch, looking quite content, and reading a book. Katie focused her attention on him. It took her a few minutes, before she realized that he hadn't turned a page. In fact, she didn't remember having heard a page turn since he sat down. He IS having trouble concentrating, she thought, feeling much better about her predicament. She began to spin around in her chair, hoping he'd notice her before the spinning motion made her sick to her stomach.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye for a minute or so, before he started to feel dizzy. "Katya? What are you doing?"

"Trying to get your attention."

"Well it worked," he said, putting down the book. "Now cut it out before you make both of us sick." Alex got up and walked over to the computer. "So, what have you gotten done today?" He looked over her shoulder at the monitor, knowing fully well that was something she hated. When she didn't push him away, he read. He scrolled down, but found nothing more than the three sentences. "That's it? After all this time, this is what you've accomplished?" He looked at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Don't give me that look, Mr. 'I've-been-reading-the-same-page-for-the-last-hour'. You aren't concentrating any better than I am," Katie shot back, smugly.

He chuckled and looked down at the floor. "You noticed that, huh?"

"Yes I did."

Alex put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Well, what are we going to do about this concentration problem?"

Katie leaned against him and tipped her head back. "Don't ask me, you're the one who wanted to take the lead." She smiled at him. "Take the lead already."

He bent over and kissed his way down from the top of her head to the soft spot behind her ear. His hands rubbed up and down her arms as he sucked on her earlobe, before moving slowly down her neck. Katie sighed and moved her head to give him maximum access. At the base of her neck, he pushed her shirt aside and nipped the skin across her shoulder and back to her neck. He spun the chair around, causing her gasp, and began giving the same attention to the other side of her neck. On the last pass back, he kissed up her neck to her chin, then back down again. Instead of stopping at the hollow of her throat, he continued down her chest to the point where the buttons on her shirt made him pause. He looked up at her, as he slowly unbuttoned two more buttons, loving the sight of her bottom lip being held by her teeth. His lips pressed against the skin at the top of the shirt and kissed down the new opening he'd created. She shivered as he covered new ground with his mouth. When he hit the next button, his tongue traced a path back up to the hollow of her neck. The sensation of his tongue on her skin set her nerve endings on fire and when he kissed her mouth, she moaned and tried to pull him down onto the seat with her.

Alex pulled out of her grip and smiled wickedly at her. "You like that?"

"Yes," she hummed.

"Good." He took her hand and pulled her out of the chair. "Come on," he said, leading her back to the dryer.

Katie followed, wondering why they were going back there, instead of to the couch or to the bedroom. She couldn't believe her eyes, when he lifted a couple of coats from the clothes rack and handed her one. "Put this on," he instructed. "We're getting out of here."

"Getting out of here? Why?" she whined. "Getting out of here is the last thing I want to do right now." She reluctantly took the jacket from his hand and put it on.

"It's getting too hot in here and we both need to cool down," he replied.

"I don't want to cool down! I like the temperature just fine," she growled.

"So do I, which is why we have to get out." He chuckled at her expression. "Besides," he added, moving closer. "I like watching you get all hot and bothered; makes me wonder what lengths you'll go to find release." At 'release', he leaned in and kissed her gently.

"Damn it, Alexei," Katie whispered. "If you weren't injured, I'd show you."

"All in good time, Katya, all in good time." He reached out and zipped her jacket up a little higher. "Come on, let's go for a walk. You can show me around your neighborhood."

They left the loft and strolled around the neighborhood. Katie showed him her usual haunts and her favorite routes. By the time they returned, Alex was worn out; he barely made it to the couch, before collapsing. Katie went out to the kitchen to get him some water, but when she returned, she found him asleep. She put the glass on the table and kissed his forehead. The thought of curling up beside him and taking a nap crossed her mind, but she decided to try and get some work done instead. This time, when she opened the file, the ideas flowed.

Alex woke at 6:30, to the sound of typing and the smell of pizza. Katie had ordered out a little earlier and had put the pizza in the oven to keep it warm.

He hoisted himself off the couch and into the kitchen to eat. The plates were on the counter, two of them, he noticed. When he pulled the box out of the oven, he saw that the pizza was intact.

Katie appeared beside him. "I waited for you.

"So I see," he said with a smile. "You didn't have to."

"I know I didn't have to," she shrugged. "I wanted to. Besides, I was on a roll with the story anyway," she added.

Alex put three slices of pizza on his plate and went over to the computer. He sat down, opened up the file and began to read while he ate. Katie grabbed the box and followed him out. She sat on the floor, watching him read and wondering how she'd gone from refusing to let anyone read her works in progress, to letting Alex plop down in her chair and open her file at will.

After finishing the pages, Alex turned around and was surprised to find Katie sitting on the floor, watching him as she ate. It occurred to him that he'd assumed she wanted him to read her day's work. She didn't seem annoyed, but looks could be deceiving. "I'm sorry," he started. "I should have asked you if I could read this."

"You should have," she agreed. "But you know what? I don't mind at all. I was just trying to figure out how that happened, too. No one else could have ever gotten away with it." Katie frowned and squinted her eyes. "Are you are warlock, Alexei?"

"If I was, I wouldn't be sitting here waiting for my body to heal," he said with a wink. "Hand me another slice, would you? I'm starving tonight. Must be from all the exercise this afternoon."

"Memo to self," Katie dictated. "Alexei becomes ravenous after physical exertion. Be sure to have refrigerator and pantry well stocked prior to sex."

"Addendum to memo," Alex added, putting his plate down on the desk. "Katya becomes increasingly catty when deprived of sex." He eased to his knees on the floor in front of her. "Remember to keep mouth busy as much as possible in the interim." He swooped down and kissed her soundly.

A little too soundly, perhaps, for soon, Alex hurt too much to continue. He moved from her lips and pressed his hand against his ribs, dropping his head in pain. Katie held him close and whispered comforting words, while he tried to catch his breath. When his shoulders relaxed, she helped him to his feet and led him into the bedroom. He sat down on the bed and watched her remove his shoes; too achy to protest. She lifted the covers and waited for him to lie down, covering him when he did. She turned off the light. Instead of kissing him goodnight and leaving, like he expected, she went to the other side of the bed, removed her shoes and socks, and climbed in with him. She heard him open his mouth to protest, but cut him off. "I'm not leaving you when you're in pain," she stated. "If you feel like soaking later, wake me up and I'll go with you."

"Katya, it's not even 8 yet," Alex observed.

"What's your point?" she asked.

"If you try to sleep now, you'll end up pacing the floors at 4."

"So what? The beauty of writing is that it can be done anytime, anywhere. I have no time clock to punch and no one to report to. I can do what I want, when I want. Right now, I want to be here with you." She moved closer and kissed his shoulder. "Do you want me to go?" she whispered.

"No," he whispered back. "This is where I've wanted you all along." He felt for her hand, and when he found it, he pulled it to his chest. "Don't let go," he whispered, just before falling asleep.

"I wouldn't dream of it," she replied.

True to his prediction, Katie woke in the wee hours of the morning. Not because she'd had too much sleep, but because someone was nibbling on her fingers. "You have an interesting way of waking people up," she murmured. "Couldn't sleep?"

"With your leg draped over mine and your foot rubbing up and down my calf? No, for some reason, that woke me up," he teased. "By the way, when did we switch sides? I may be wrong, but wasn't I on that side of the bed when we first came in here?"

Katie giggled. "Well, I got up about an hour after you fell asleep, to go to the bathroom. When I got back, you had moved over to my pillow, so I slipped in here. Did you know that YOU are a very restless sleeper?"

"Mmmm," he responded, kissing her fingertips. "And did you know that YOU are still rubbing my leg? It's most distracting, Katya; might make me lose my resolve," he said, as he sucked a finger into his mouth.

"Mmmm," she sighed. "Forgive me, but I'm not seeing a down side to that statement."

"The down side," he began, pushing her leg off of his. "Is that I want to take this slow and you are making it very difficult." He rolled onto his side, grimacing as he did.

"Alexei, I know you can't let this go to far right now because of your ribs, but there's no reason why we can't make allowances for a little touching." She slowly began to run her foot back up his leg. "You know you want to. I'd be willing to bet that you engaged in a little 'touching' last night, after you left me at my bedroom door," she hinted.

Alex caught her foot before she reached her final destination and firmly put it back on the mattress. "Sorry to disappoint you, Katya, but there was no 'touching' going on in here. I find that heavy breathing is a main cause of pain right now." He ran his fingers down her neck to the first buttoned button on the front of her shirt and rested them there. "Does this mean that there was some 'touching' going on in other areas of the loft last night?" He popped the button from its hole. "Something you'd like to share with the class, Ms. Heyes?" he asked, popping another button.

Katie held her breath, mesmerized by the sight of Alex slowly unbuttoning her shirt. She gasped when he pulled the rest of it out of her jeans and finished the job. He ran his fingers back up the middle of her chest, never straying to the sides, never pushing the shirt away.

So caught up in the sensation, she never heard either question.

Alex leaned in and kissed her gently. "Unless you want me to stop, you'd better answer the question, Ms. Heyes," he admonished. To prove his point, Alex removed his hand from her body and rested it on the bed beside her.

She whimpered in protest. "What question?"

"Am I distracting you?" He chuckled and kissed her again. "I'll repeat the question. Was there some 'touching' going on in your room last night?" He could feel her hesitate, so he put his hand back on her chest and drew circles between her breasts. "You're not embarrassed to answer, are you?" he teased. When she still didn't answer, he stopped completely and inched closer, putting his hand on her cheek. It felt warm to the touch and she turned away a little. "You are embarrassed, aren't you?" he asked, taken completely by surprise at her reaction. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "Don't ever be embarrassed about something like that; not with me." He kissed the top of her head. "Will trust me enough to answer the question, Katya? Please," he begged.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Yes to which question," he asked.

"Yes to both," she replied.

"Thank you," he said softly. She stayed still in his arms, not talking. He allowed the silence for a few minutes, before speaking again. "Did it feel good?" he asked, rolling her out of his arms and back down to her pillow. "Did you think about me touching you like this?" He slid his hand inside her shirt and rubbed his thumb over her nipple. She arched her back and moaned. "Did you, Katya?"

"Yes," she answered.

He kissed her softly and whispered against her lips. "Did I kiss you, like this?" he asked, taking her mouth, slipping his tongue inside and exploring her thoroughly. When he pulled away, she nodded. "Did I do this?" he whispered, slipping his hand down her stomach to the waistband of her jeans, popping the button and lowering the zipper. Katie shivered as his hand trailed back up to her breast. "Take the jeans off, Katya," he demanded.

"Alexei?"

"Just do it."

Katie slid the jeans down and off her body, tossing them on the floor. Alex tugged at the elastic of her panties. "These too." She slipped them off as well. He hummed appreciatively. His hand traced a path from her breast to her thigh and back again. "Did I do this, too?"

"God, yes," she sighed.

Alex caressed her breast, causing her moan. He ran his hand down to hers and squeezed it gently. Bringing it up to his mouth, he kissed the top of her hand. "Show me what else I did, Katya," he whispered, gently pulling her hand down to her thigh. Alex felt her stiffen, but held her hand in place. "Trust me," he pleaded, easing her hand into place. "Show me what I need to do to make you happy; I want to be ready, when the time comes." Her hand relaxed and he loosened his grip. He felt her hand start to move, so he released her fingers from his grasp, resting his hand lightly on top of hers. "Don't be afraid to let go for me."

Katie started off slow, trying to let go of her apprehension. This covered new ground and it caused her self-confidence to go running for the hills. With every word of encouragement, she felt a little bit of her confidence return. He wasn't asking for anything she wasn't willing to give and, while he didn't come right out and say it, she knew she could say no at any time. His hand moved up her arm and returned to stroke her breast. She moved her hand in time with his, matching his caresses. As she got closer, she wanted desperately to feel his hand on her, his stroke, but she knew that he'd refuse. Her breathing became more rapid and her strokes less rhythmic. "That's it, baby," Alex murmured. "Come for me." The sound of his voice spurred her on, a fact that did not go unnoticed. Alex kissed her cheek and continued whispering in her ear until she shuddered and shook against him. He held her tight, kissing her face and neck, until her body relaxed. "Incredible," he said. "Is that how I make you feel?"

"That's how you make me feel," she confirmed. "I've never done that in front of anyone before."

"I figured that out," he said, smiling. "Thank you for sharing with me. My only regret is that I couldn't see your face. Next time, we'll light a candle."

Katie woke up the next morning and sat up in bed. She quickly noticed two things; she was alone and her shirt had been buttoned back up. She was pretty sure she hadn't done any buttoning last night. As a matter of fact, the last thing she remembered was Alex saying something about lighting a candle. Memories of last night's encounter made her smile; she drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. A noise from outside the room told her that Alex was in the kitchen, probably making breakfast. 'He must have gotten up to give me some space,' she thought. She got up and started to walk out wearing just her shirt, when she heard voices from the other room. ' Who the Hell is that?' she wondered. Katie tossed on her jeans and ran her fingers through her hair, hoping she looked something resembling presentable. She opened the door and walked out to find her editor, Michelle, sitting on the couch, talking to Alex.

"There she is now," Alex said, coming over to greet her. "Sweetheart, Michelle dropped by to bring you some news."

"Sleeping late these days, Katie?" Michelle asked. "Well, I suppose if I had someone like Alex around, I wouldn't be in any hurry to get of bed either."

Alex smiled and put his arms around Katie. "What do you want, Michelle?" Katie snapped.

Michelle frowned and rolled her eyes. "Just as pleasant as always, I see. Well, this time I'm here to make a wish come true for you, my dear, so sheathe your claws."

Katie folded her arms across her chest. "What dream would that be?"

"You, darling, have been asked to speak at a writer's convention in New York, two weeks from Saturday."

"Big deal, Michelle. I'm not going." Alex tightened his hold on her, letting her know he was there to support her, if she needed him to.

Michelle smiled slyly. "Oh you'll go to this one. You see, you were specially requested to attend by another panel member; think of it as the ultimate offer you can't refuse."

Katie frowned and sighed loudly. "Who?"

Michelle giggled triumphantly. "Would you believe me if I said, Harlan Ellison?"

Katie's jaw dropped and she uncrossed her arms. "You're not serious?" She looked back at Alex, then to Michelle. "Are you?" Michelle smiled, reached into her jacket pocket, and handed her a letter. Katie took it and read. "Oh my God! Oh my God, Alex! Look! It really is from him. He wants me to sit on a panel with him? Oh my God!" She pulled out of Alex's arms and paced the floor. "I don't believe this. How did this happen? WHEN did this happen? How long have you had this letter, Michelle?"

"Take a breath, Katie," Michelle laughed. "It came in yesterday. I decided to come here and tell you myself. I knew you'd never believe me if I called." She went to the table and picked up her purse. "So, may I tell Harlan that you'll be happy to attend?"

"YES!!" Katie cried. "Oh my God! Yes, of course. Two weeks, from this Saturday, right?"

"Yes, dear, two weeks from Saturday. We'll take care of the travel arrangements," she said, patting Katie's arm. "Take care of her Alex; she's going to be a basket case for a little while." She waved goodbye, then stepped onto the elevator.

Katie paced and ranted, while Alex watched with great amusement. She was wired beyond reason; perpetual motion personified and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her eyes were wild, as was her hair; her rumpled shirt hung loosely around her equally rumpled jeans and her feet were bare. She was beautiful and he wanted nothing more than to carry her into the bedroom and fuck her silly. Damn it, he thought. I can't even get myself off, how am I going to do her any good?

He looked up to see Katie staring at him, wide-eyed, trying desperately not to laugh. "Feeling a little frustrated, Alexei?"

"What," he asked, bewildered.

She approached him slowly and placed her hand on his cheek; he really was lost. "I thought you did me plenty of good last night," she said softly.

His face flushed with embarrassment. "How did you..."

"You were thinking out loud." She took his face in her hands and kissed his lips. "Don't be embarrassed about something like that; not with me," she said, echoing his words from last night.

"Good advice," he chuckled. "Where have I heard that before?"

"Your bed, about 3 this morning, as I recall."

"I knew it sounded familiar."

Katie smiled, then her foot started tapping nervously. "God Alexei, Harlan Ellison wants to be on a panel with ME!" She put both hands up to her mouth and bounced on the balls of her feet. "You're going to have to excuse me, but I have to do this," she said, just before letting out a loud, piercing squeal; one worthy of any self-respecting adolescent girl. Alex covered his ears and grinned at her. When she was done, she took a deep breath. "OK, I'm better now," she sighed. "If you tell anyone I did that, I'll deny it," she warned.

"It'll be our little secret," he promised. "Tell you what, why don't you go take a shower and get dressed. I'm taking you out to lunch; anywhere you want."

"Can I drive the Ferrari?"

"Of course."

Katie squeezed his arm and ran off to take a shower. Alex chuckled as he watched her go. He went into the bedroom and finished getting dressed himself. As he pulled on his boots, he wondered about the relationship between Katie and Michelle. There was no love lost between those two, that was certain. Michelle had struck him as a phony the minute she walked in the door. He'd disliked her instantly, but pasted on a happy face for Katie's sake. She reminded him of Marita. What did I see in her? he wondered. She was dead now, a victim of the Consortium and her own stupidity. He shook the thoughts away. No more, he thought. That time was gone. They were gone. He belonged to himself and no one else.

He was deep in thought and didn't hear Katie come into the bedroom. "Where are you, Alexei?" she asked. She brushed past him on her way to retrieve her shoes from the other side of the bed. "You look like you're a million miles away."

"Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," he said. "Just taking a little detour in my head, that's all." No, I don't belong to myself, he thought, gazing at Katie. I belong to her.

"What are you looking at?" she giggled.

Alex strolled over and knelt at her feet. He took her hands in his, kissed them both, and answered her question. "My destiny."