Set between seasons 2 and 3, and in season 3. Salex discuss their relationship and share their joy.
"When did you know you loved me?" Sean asked Alex as they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms one night.
"Well it definitely wasn't when we first met," Alex muttered into his chest, smiling smugly once he scoffed in offense.
"What is that?" Peering over her sunglasses at Sean, Alex asked. He was walking around the Mediterranean beach with a foam board underneath his arm. The two had traveled to Greece to visit her mother before their missions to clean up Division began. While Alex and Katya decided to sunbathe on the beach one day, Sean was up to some antics. Eventually, Alex had to call him out on it. A part of her was curious, but she was mostly annoyed. Why couldn't he just relax like the rest of them.
"A boogie board. That kid sold it to me," Sean excitedly showed off his prize. He had mostly followed Alex to Greece to act as the Udinovs' bodyguard again. Although there was no active threat on either of them at the moment, Alex wanted to ensure her mother would be okay alone while she helped clean up Division. So Sean was in Greece as a preventative measure. He largely left the mother and daughter alone as he did his own thing. That was why he was so excited to find a boogie board. He could be entertained with that for hours.
"Did she rip you off?" Spying on the kid happily showing her friends the money she had earned and pointing at Sean and laughing, Alex assumed Sean had paid way more than he needed for the piece of foam. His scant amount of Greek was better than hers, but he couldn't help looking like a hapless tourist. Alex kind of thought it was cute. He tried to take in the sights and learn about the culture, yet he was still very American. No wonder the kids made fun of him. Alex wanted to as well. However, how cute he was held some of the taunts on her tongue, not that she'd admit that outloud.
"Yeah. Probably. But it's worth it," Sean shrugged. He didn't care that he paid the kid so much; it made both of them happy. Also, he could dive in and out of the waves with his board and have fun while Alex and Katya relaxed. Some small part of him also wanted to show Alex how to boogie board. He loved boogie boarding in the Pacific as a kid. He wanted to share that with Alex. But only if she wanted to. Even if he was excited for it, he didn't want to make her do anything she was uncomfortable with.
Alex rolled her eyes and went back to reading her fashion magazine while Sean ran to the sparkling sea. If he was having fun and leaving her alone, she didn't care what he did. Though, every once and a while, she glanced up to watch him. He happily jumped in and out of the waves and rode the foam board through the water. It was almost like he was surfing, but not exactly. Alex didn't get it. She watched him more, interested in everything he did- especially when he just laid on the board and relaxed in the water. Tossing aside her magazine, Alex called out to Sean, "What are you doing?"
"Enjoying the sun and the surf. Come on, I'll show you," Sitting up on the board, Sean dared Alex to join him in the warm Mediterranean sea. He didn't doubt that she would. She wasn't the type of person to just sit on the beach and do nothing. Sure, she enjoyed talking to her mom, basking in the sun, and reading her magazine, but she needed to be active; she had to run around and have as much fun as possible. Sean believed she could find that in the sea on a boogie board- and hopefully with him.
"I know how to have fun better than you," Alex leapt up from her beach towel, tossed aside her sunglasses, and abandoned her mother's side. Katya didn't mind, however. She was content resting on the beach by herself. Besides, it was better for Alex to have fun with her friend while she was on vacation. And she absolutely had fun the instant she jumped into the beautiful blue sea. She pushed Sean off his boogie board and laughed as he spluttered in the water. He quickly retaliated by splashing her.
Instead of riding the boogie board as Sean had intended, he and Alex dissolved into a water fight. They splashed and played around and tried to dunk each other under the waves. Alex also kept pushing the boogie board further into the sea, forcing Sean to frantically chase after it. Their laughter, taunts, and squeals probably annoyed the others around them, but they didn't care (and neither did Katya as she took numerous pictures of the pair). Their only focus was on their joy. They wouldn't let anything ruin their joy.
Eventually, Sean got Alex on the boogie board. When she wasn't giggling and making fun of him, he managed to teach her how to balance on the board while the water rolled underneath. She was a natural; she had the core strength and the right sense of balance to stay upright and ride around the waves. Sean would've praised her if he also didn't have to return her taunts. She was too busy laughing to really be annoyed with that. Also, she doubted anyone could be upset while on top of a board, bobbing up and down in the sea. It was so relaxing and calm. Despite the teases Sean tossed out, she couldn't help but smile.
Although Alex could balance and ride a few waves on the boogie board, she couldn't pull off all of the stunts Sean could. He tried to teach her, yet she was more content just watching and pretending to judge him like an Olympic judge would. He was content with that as well. Not only could he show off his very impressive skills, but the two got to keep laughing and playing around. It truly felt like a paradise vacation then. There was no looking over their shoulders- no need to worry. Sean and Alex could just have pure, simple fun together.
"Yeah. Alright. I was an ass at first. But you weren't all sunshine and rainbows either," Sean admitted. He and Alex definitely hadn't met under the best circumstances, or when they were their best selves. It was understandable that they didn't like each other at first. Yet as they let their guard down and showed who they really were, it was easy for love to bloom.
"You didn't like me when we first met?" Poking Sean's side, Alex teased. She knew he didn't like the traitor and rogue he was made to think of her as. But that was okay. She didn't like the self-righteous ass he presented himself as. It was a good thing that wasn't who either of them were. They had let their guards down around each other, which let them burrow into their hearts.
"I grew to love you. And I've loved you ever since," Sean whispered against the crown of Alex's head, his lips peppering her with kisses as he spoke. There was no defining moment that sparked love for him. One day, he woke up and she was all he could feel. That was how he knew his love was real. It would never go away.
"You're not going to fall through the ice, come on," Rolling her eyes, Alex stood on the frozen pond and sighed. After their latest harrowing mission, the team had the day off to rest, relax, and recuperate. Michael, Nikita, Sean, and Alex agreed to eat lunch together and hang out for a bit. As they walked through the snow covered park, they came across a frozen pond. Alex excitedly checked if it was solid enough to skate on: it was. Once she realized that, she tried to convince the others to skate with her. Nikita and Michael refused. But Sean was on the fence. He knew it'd be fun; he just didn't want to fall through the ice and sink into the freezing water.
"This isn't Russia. Are you sure it's cold enough for the ice to stay solid?" Sean stayed rooted in his spot far from the frozen water. He was positive that Alex was right. She had been ice skating since she could walk; she absolutely knew what she was talking about. Yet he couldn't help but notice Nikita 'there's nothing worse than a Detroit winter' Mears avoid ice skating on the frozen pond. She had whispered something to Michael as she pulled him away, and he had made a very concerned face- so there was probably something else to her avoidance. However, Sean would not move closer to the pond.
"I think I know ice better than you, boogie boy," Alex taunted. It'd probably be better to rent skates at the local ice rink and ice skate there. Yet no one else was on the pond; the couple could be completely alone. Besides, Alex wanted to own her own pair of ice skates again. She wanted to enjoy the things she had as a little girl and share them with the person she loved. If only her love wasn't so hesitant. She didn't know why he was holding back; he had certainly faced worse dangers. It wasn't as though he wasn't some kind of action hero or anything, "I thought you were a Navy Seal."
"If I get pneumonia, I'm blaming you," Finally, Sean relented. Alex's excitement wore him down the most. He couldn't say no to her when she smiled at him like that. Agreeing to her idea, after all, earned him the biggest smile. Alex kissed Sean excitedly, then hurried to the nearest sporting goods store to buy them ice skates. Hopefully, the two could use them for more than just that instance. Maybe they could make going to a local ice rink a weekly thing. They could stay active, have fun, and spend time together. What could've been better than that.
Alex and Sean were on the ice in no time. Whereas she glided effortlessly, even with new skates and on uneven ice, he stumbled and nearly fell. He could at least balance on the thin blades, yet that was all he could do. Alex skated circles around him, literally. However, as Sean kept stumbling, she took pity on him. She took him by the hand and slowly led him across the ice. She skated backwards so he could see how to move his feet; he had to glide, not stomp around. After a few tries, he finally got the hang of it. He began to glide like her, and his smile bloomed across his face.
She matched his smile easily. Except, once she began to teach him how to stop, her grin turned into bright laughter. Sean tripped and stumbled and almost fell even more. He was so ungraceful, Alex couldn't help but tease him. He would've been annoyed if she wasn't so cute. She was also a great teacher once she stopped making fun of him. After many trials and errors, he figured out how to break with ice skates. He was still wobbly, and he wasn't nearly as graceful as Alex, but he could skate. Both considered that as a success.
Eventually, while Sean just practiced gliding around in circles, Alex tested to see if she could still do some of the jumps she used to be able to do. The simple jumps she was able to land with no problem. But when she tried to up the ante, she landed on her ass. Sean panicked, believing she was injured and that the ice would crack. Alex only laughed uproariously and tried again, however. Sean decided to hang back and watch. He cheered her on and laughed with her. He was also finally able to get his own taunts in. Though, he enjoyed that more than Alex did.
When the sun began to set, the two decided to go home. Alex had to be promised that they'd go skating at an ice rink sometime so she wouldn't feel too sad about getting off the ice. Walking home with Sean soon improved her mood, though. They stopped for hot chocolate and dinner to-go on their way, and they settled in her apartment with a roaring fire and cozy blankets. They cuddled and ate and laughed and talked. Their fun wouldn't end, even as they just sat in silence in front of the fireplace. It was a perfect improvised date- a perfect day.
"Okay. But when, though?" Shifting in her position, Alex glanced up at Sean. If he was going to ask her when she loved him, it was only fair that she returned the question.
"I don't know. It just happened," With a shrug and a soft smile, Sean confessed. He couldn't trace when he knew he was in love. He was in the middle before he ever knew it began.
"It just happened to me too," Alex copied his gentle grin, kissed him sweetly, then went to sleep in his warm, caring arms.