If you'll excuse the really lame title - my attempt at a play on words which will no doubt come back to haunt me later - we can begin. Oh, excuse the cheesy ending too. I loves me some cheese...
This is the first chapter of my Christmas offering, and also my Christmas present to Laney, Becs and Rosanna. Becs asked for a Danny/Aiden fic, Laney asked for a continuation of the conversation about bondage in 'Hush' and Rosanna bugged me to write the fic we discussed in a somewhat odd conversation - she knows what I mean! To all, wesolych swiat Merry Christmas, for those who don't speak Polish - yes, I'm having a Polish day. It'll last all day, don't worry. & if I don't see you before, have a fantastic holidau and a great new year - I'll be back! Mark my words.
With thanks to Bob for the beta! -hugs Bob-
DNA is (for) Life, Not Just For Christmas
"All I want for Christmaaas…!" Aiden crooned, reaching up to hang some tinsel above the window. She was stood on a chair and stretching her arms above her head. Her crimson sweater rose up, exposing an inch or two of her bare stomach.
Danny stood at the door, grinning. He stepped into the room when he saw Aiden wobble slightly on the chair. "I know you love me and all, but really… singing from the… chair top? Isn't that a little OTT even for your standards?"
"I was gonna ask for some new socks, see, all mine have holes…"
"I see even the Christmas cheer hasn't given you a sense of humour at all," he noted, grabbing her arm to steady her as she hopped down and swayed a little.
"I see not even Santa can bring you a pleasant enough mask to wear so you don't scare the locals." She snipped back with a smirk.
Danny scowled and swatted her arm, just as his pager sprang to life.
"They just can't bear to be away from me, I'm so irresistible!"
"They only want you for your immaturity," she whispered confidentially. "It's not your brains, that's for sure."
"I'll take comfort in knowing they wouldn't come to you for brains, either!" he called over his shoulder as he headed off down the corridor.
Aiden smiled and shook her head, before pouring herself a well-earned mug of coffee and collapsing on the sofa with a folder of paper and a pen.
"Hey, Aid!" Flack called from the doorway. "You comin' for drinks tonight?"
"Depends… who else is goin'?"
"Danny… Stella, Mac…"
"Oh, this I have to see! When and where?"
"Eight o'clock, Carmines?"
"Sounds good t'me."
"Great. I'm off now, I'll see you there later?"
"Yeah." With a flourish, she signed her name at the bottom of her report and, grabbing her mug of steaming coffee, she left the room in search first of Danny, then Mac.
"Danny, I need you to sign this report."
"You finished it without me?"
"Like you were gonna do it?"
"Nice…" He flicked through the pages before taking the pen offered by Aiden and scrawling his autograph beside hers.
"Give this to Mac, case closed!" Aiden announced happily.
x.x.x
"Don't you just hate it when the murderers take a day off?" Stella plopped onto the sofa beside Aiden. Opposite them, at the table, Danny added the final fold to his intricate paper aeroplane and, grinning devilishly, he silently launched it at Aiden's head. Neither she nor Stella saw it coming, they were pouring over a magazine when it hit.
"You're gonna pay for that, Messer!" she yelled, leaping out of her seat. Danny was faster, and reached the door before she reached the table. He sauntered casually down the corridor until he heard her heeled boots clipping against the floor. He sped up, spinning into an unused broom cupboard. Unluckily for him, Aiden saw him and followed him in.
"You could have had my eye—"
She was cut off by the pressure of his lips on hers. A delicious warmth spread throughout her body as his hands rested on her hips. Her arms snaked around his neck and her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him closer to her, her desperate tongue seeking his.
She moaned softly as he pinned her against the wall, his lips trailing fiery kisses down her jaw line to her neck. Her head fell back as his hands slipped into the waistband of her pants. Without warning, a box toppled off the shelf, showering the preoccupied couple with small packets of rubber gloves – an investigator's best friend. Tearing his lips from her neck, Danny glanced up.
"Awh, crap."
"Guess we'd better get back, huh?" she whispered, arms still around his neck.
He smiled. "This isn't over, Burn."
x.x.x
"Guys, go home. You've worked straight the past two days. Nothing's happening. Go, sleep. You'll be called if anything happens." Mac rubbed an eye with one hand and waved the other absently at his colleagues. He was exhausted, and with no work to do, he was beginning to realise it.
With cheers and thanks and a few reluctant sighs, the investigators on shift stood and grabbed bags and jackets, while the others headed for the locker room where they picked up their belongings and dumped stuff in lockers, desperate for decent coffee and a few hours sleep.
Alone in the locker room after everyone had left, Aiden debated upon whether or not to dump everything in her locker, or whether to just take her badge and gun home on her belt. Exhaustion was beginning to set in and her limbs felt like lead. Danny was doing the same, standing in front of his locker, hands braced on either side of the open door, head falling between his shoulders. Both were silent and for the most part, oblivious to the other's presence. It was only when Danny stood straight and slammed his locker shut that Aiden looked up and realised she wasn't alone. She smiled weakly and rubbed her eyes.
"Hey Burn, we got unfinished business!"
It occurred to Aiden that her heart still hadn't calmed down since their encounter in the supply cupboard earlier and it took all her willpower not to tear his clothes off there and then. Instead, she stood, grabbing her jacket and bag from the bench beside her and walked over to him, taking his hand and leading him out to her car.
They kissed against the car, they kissed inside the car. They kissed while Aiden fumbled with her keys in an attempted to get into her apartment. They kissed up against the wall as he kicked the door closed with a foot while he unbuttoned her shirt and his hands roamed her skin.
He kissed her furiously as they landed on her bed, a tangle of limbs and half removed items of clothing. She kissed him angrily as she writhed beneath him, pausing only to cry out his name like she'd never cried before.
x.x.x
"Do you take Switch?" Danny joked, wrapping his arms around Aiden. Her back was pressed to his chest and his chin rested on her shoulder.
"No, but I do take Nectar points." She retorted, swatting him on the arm. The room was dark, save for the dull light of a flickering streetlamp in the grey late afternoon peering through the closed blinds.
"You're beautiful." He told her, dropping soft kisses on her neck and shoulder. She squirmed but tilted her head to one side, leaving him with no choice but to kiss the expanse of smooth skin. She ran her fingers through his hair as he rolled her onto her back; before pulling him up to kiss his lips. He tasted warm and spicy, of something she could only describe as Danny. He kissed her softly, prising her lips apart with his tongue. His tongue danced with hers, a slow, sensual dance filled with love and passion, the lust and urgency of their previous kisses and lovemaking all but dissipated. A million words and feelings were poured into one kiss.
When the need for oxygen grew too strong, they broke apart, breathing heavily and staring into each other's eyes. Content just to lie in silence, Aiden shifted into a more comfortable position against Danny's chest with his arms around her waist and allowed her eyes to slowly fall shut. Danny watched her sleep for a while, his heart swelling with love for the woman wrapped in his embrace, before slumber claimed him too.
x.x.x
She was gone when he awoke. She couldn't have gone far – it was her apartment, after all. The aroma of French toast and coffee attacked his senses and made him realise how hungry he was – not to mention remember how he'd barely eaten in three days. He grabbed his glasses from her nightstand and pulled on his boxers and t-shirt, before wandering through her apartment to find her in the kitchen over a frying pan.
He crossed the kitchen quickly and snaked his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. She smiled, flipping a slice of egg-covered bread onto one of two plates beside the hob before switching off the electricity and dropping the spatula into the sink. Danny released her and carried the plates over to the table while Aiden poured coffee.
"I guess we should talk, huh?" he asked, cutting a slice of toast. Fear flashed behind Aiden's dark eyes as she chewed on her own food, her body tensing in anticipation and dread.
"You regret it, don't you?"
"No! God, Aiden… I don't regret it, not for a second."
She relaxed visibly and couldn't restrain the grin that spread across her face. "Good… because I don't either."
They finished the rest of their meal between stories of old cases – the good, the bad and the downright hilarious. Finally, dishes washed and returned to their respective cupboards, fresh coffee brewed and poured into mugs, Danny and Aiden settled on the sofa with the remote control and a tub of popcorn. Danny backed into the corner, stretching his legs out across the seat, while Aiden climbed into his lap and rested her head against his chest.
"'S'on TV?"
"'S'this new show… well, not really new – new season… Crime Scene Investigation. Las Vegas cops and CSIs solving crimes and making the world a better place."
"Wow, they finally make a soap opera of our lives and they set it in Vegas?" Danny whistled through his teeth. "New York's so much better."
"I coulda told you that."
The opening bars of the theme tune rung out: The Who's classic Who Are You?, accompanied by flashing green lights and the faces of the starring actors and actresses.
"That Grissom guy is disturbingly hot."
Danny pouted. "You like me better though, right?"
"Always!" Aiden scowled when she realised Danny was staring intently at the female characters. She swatted him on the arm. "No drooling!"
On the screen, flashbacks of a violent murder involving latex, whips and chains were shown.
"'Member that case?"
"Yeah, you got all free on me!"
Aiden grinned. "I like being on top. So?"
"Oh, you like being on top, huh?"
Coffee, popcorn and the TV forgotten, Danny stood with Aiden in his arms, kicking her feet and giggling. He dropped her back onto the sofa and followed her down, leaning over her and meeting her lips with his own.
"Too bad I'm stronger'n you!"
"Like hell you are!" she informed him between kisses.
"Ooh, a challenge."
"Just kiss me."
He complied, his tongue dancing wildly with hers. The ending credits to CSI rolled up and the room was filled with the instrumental section to the classic song, but neither cared that they'd missed it. They were just content to lie in each other's arms as the announcer between shows announced the time – midnight. Christmas day.
Outside, a cheer was heard along with the bells and opening bars of popular Christmas tunes, but inside, the room was lit up only by love.