The cat was curled up next to the radiator. Early gray light shone into the bedroom. It was a nice bedroom, a generic comforter and pillows, with an equally generic blonde wood bedroom set. A chair was draped with clothes. The clock radio clicked on. The electric click was what woke Eames up, not the grating alarm or music that followed. She had set the second alarm, the radio, to wake her up. It was the weekend. She hit the snooze button.

"...I don't care about the presents underneath the christmas tree, I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know, make my wish come true... all I want for Christmas ... is you..."

Eames groaned, and sat up. The cat rolled over and looked at her with half open green eyes.

"Oh shut up. You don't have to go to work."

"I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need..." Mariah sang.

The cat stretched and yawned. Eames fell back on her bed.

"...yoooou baby, whoa, all the lights are shining so brightly everywhere..."

Her cell phone rang.

"Eames."

"Hey.. what's that noise?"

"I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know.."

"Radio." She clicked the off button. "Sorry. What's up."

"I talked to Deakins this morning..."

Eames stifled her groan by burying her face in her pillow.

"Eames? You there?"

"Yeah."

"I'll pick you up in an hour."

"Okay."

Eames turned on the cd player in her bathroom and turned on the shower. She always seemed to have a Led Zeppelin cd in. She pulled her t-shirt over her head, and stepped out of her underwear. She scowled at her reflection, and ran her fingers under the water. It was warm enough, before the heat really kicked in.

"Hang man, hang man, hold it a little while, I think I see my friends coming, riding many a mile"

She closed her eyes and let the hot water soak her hair. She turned so that it could roll over her back and shoulders. She shampooed her hair, and wound it around her head while she soaped the rest of her body. She rinsed, and rubbed the creamy conditioner between her hands, running it through her hair. The hot water rinsed it out, and she ran her fingers through, eliminating knots and tangles.

"Brother, get me some silver, did you get a little gold, what did you bring me my brother, to keep me from the gallow's pole?"

The water cut off abruptly as she reached for a towel and stepped out. The hair dryer hummed as she quickly dried her hair.

She was half dressed, though she'd done her makeup, (priorities), when she heard the knock at her door.

"Hold on!" She called as she scrounged for a pair of jeans. It was Saturday, anyway. No need to be super professional. She pulled the door open and smiled wearily. It was his cologne that struck her first, the primitive reaction that told her he was here before her eyes or mind really figured it out. He had his usual five o'clock shadow, and looked ... well, he didn't look bad but he did look like he hadn't slept. There was something incredibly sexy about that.

She was a few inches shorter without shoes on, her bare feet betraying the fact that she had been significantly less dressed in the recent past. Her blonde hair was a little messy. She had that just-woke-up expression, the one he rarely saw, but always inspired a line of thought he would never admit to having. At least, not sober, anyway.

"Why is it that girls always manage to look better than guys do?"

Eames rolled her eyes, and turned back into her apartment while he followed her.

"Is it genetic? Some elasticity in the skin? A natural ability to look neat and put together, even after just waking up? A predisposition to --"

"Shut up, Goren. Want some coffee?"

"Does a bear sh--"

"What is up with you this morning?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're up to something. You are far too happy."

"I'm too happy?"

"Yes. Out with it." She handed him a mug, and waited expectantly.

He took the mug and sipped it, watching her over the rim. He was much taller than she was. Her arms were crossed, the exact posture of an impatient woman.

"I talked to Deakins this morning."

"So you said."

"We should get going." He was suddenly distracted, and set the mug down, grabbing his coat and hers.

"Hold on, I gotta put shoes on." She jogged into her bedroom, and he grinned. "So what is it, a new case or something? Why didn't Deakins call me?"

"What, are you jealous?" He called.

"Not jealous, just.." She reappeared holding a pair of shoes. "Confused." She sat on the couch and slipped her narrow feet into a pair of sturdy shoes with a two and a half inch heel. She stood and he nodded, as if affirming her normal business-like Eames-iness.

"Well, there's no new case. Just paper work."

"Great." She sighed, and he held her jacket for her to slip into, but he didn't let go after her arms were in the sleeves. "Goren?" She looked over her shoulder at him, his hands still holding her coat. He let go, and studied her as she turned to face him.

"What do you say we play hooky today."

"Hooky?" She hid her smile well.

"Yeah. We can go see a movie, or harass pretentious art students..."

"Harass.."

"Maybe get some lunch and walk around the park." He backpedaled.

"Throw bread at ducks?"

"If that's your inclination."

Eames grinned and took the keys out of his large warm hand.

"Let's go, Goren. You already got us out of work, didn't you."

"Well.."

"And you waited until I was already ready to go so that I wouldn't blow you off and stay in bed all day," She sighed, wistfully.

"If you still want to do that, I won't stop you." He stepped away from the door.

"Really,"

"Really." He smiled, innocently.

"You won't short sheet my bed or something."

"Me?" He looked offended. "Short sheet... Alex." He looked up at her, perplexed and hurt. "You would expect me to be so juvenile? So cruel?"

"So what, you'd just hang out and drink coffee for another three hours?"

"Hell no." He shook his head. "Eames, I'm your partner. I work the same hours you do. I'm tired. If you're going to sleep, so am I. We're in this thing together." He pressed his lips together, and watched her.

Eames snorted. "You are so full of shit."

"I am tired, though. To the point of delirium."

"Shya, I'll say. I've never seen you quite so..." She looked at him. "Silly."

"I'm not silly."

"You're very silly." She stood up and yawned.

"Am not." He watched her walk past him, and stood as well.

"Completely. I can't take anything you say seriously." She rubbed her shoulder, as she meandered towards her bedroom.

"Lies." He too yawned. "You okay?"

"I'm really tense."

"Why?"

"I dunno. This last case, I guess." She turned towards him and shrugged. "It was pretty wild."

"Yeah."

"You didn't sleep last night, did you."

He shook his head.

"Me neither."

He looked at her. His small, terrifying partner. Unless you saw her in a photograph, there was no question she was not someone to be messed with. She was strength, and honesty, and loyalty. Plus she was smart. Now there was an understatement. Right now, though, she was tired. She seemed less and less able to hide that just-woke-up look that stirred something inside him.

"Turn around." He gently turned her so that she was facing away from him, and ran his thumbs along her neck down her shoulders. "Jesus, you weren't kidding."

"I told you."

"Are you made out of granite or something?"

"I hope not." She rotated her shoulders under his hands and winced.

"Lie down. This is going to take some work."

"Okay."

Eames crawled onto her bed and lay on her stomach. He pushed her over so that there was room for him to sit next to her, and began to rub her shoulders in earnest. His warm hands were strong, and they melted her tension away. He worked down her back, and as he slipped his hands, unthinking, under her shirt to undo her bra, he realized she was sound asleep. He let his hand rest, on the bare skin of her back, and brushed her hair away from her face. He took a deep breath and swayed slightly, realized just how tired he genuinely was.

"In for a pound, in for a penny." He shrugged, and lay down beside her.

She woke, an hour or so later, to feel him pressed up behind her. He was warm, but the air in her room was cool, and she sat up slightly to reach a blanket at the foot of her bed. She tucked it around them both, and turned so that she was curled against his chest. His heart beat slowly and regularly next to her ear.

He took a deep breath, and realized his arm was securely around her, her head rising and falling with his breathing. Her cat was curled up in the crook of her knees, purring loudly. It poked its head up, and looked at him sleepily. He shook her gently.

"Eames," He whispered.

"Mmm." She didn't open her eyes. Her arm moved from his waist to his chest, and settled there.

"We fell asleep." He whispered.

"Mmhm." She snuggled against him, and his eyes closed once more.

"Goren." The voice was soft, but not whispering. It was right in his ear. "Wake up."

"Why?" He didn't open his eyes, though he was definitely awake now. He pulled her closer to him, and she squeaked with the unexpected reaction.

"It's almost dinner time. We slept all day," He could tell she was smiling, or trying not to smile.

"Mmm." He feigned sleep and rolled so that he was partially on top of her, tucking his arms around her, and making movement on her part difficult.

"Bobby... I know you're awake."

"Mm." His head was resting on her breasts, and he turned his head slightly.

"You're the worst faker. Aren't you hungry?"

He opened one eye, then closed it. Trying to lure me with food, Eames? Come on. She smiled, and ran her fingers along his arm, gently. As her fingers neared his shoulder, they slipped down towards the underside of his arm, and he jerked back, still holding her tight, and she squealed.

"Bobby!"

He grinned, he couldn't help it. His eyes firmly shut, he still grinned. She waited a few beats, then tickled him again. He jerked, and she squirmed, and they both laughed.

"You're gonna get it now," He threatened, still laughing.

"Ooh, big man."

He leaned over her, and studied her face. Her lips twitched slightly, with the beginnings of a smile. "I never finished what I started."

"What was that?"

"Your massage." He leaned up a little bit, so that he had more access to her.

"Oh no, I'm on to your tricks, mister." She rolled just as he began tickling her in earnest.

TBC..