When Alice walked through her door, she could smell something cooking and she could hear Matthew pottering around her kitchen; he turned when he heard her at the doorway t the kitchen.

"Hello Alice. I hope you don't mind but I've made us some dinner? You hungry?"

"Famished. I skipped lunch to get out of the hospital quicker."

Alice looked at her watch and saw it was just 5pm, "how long will dinner be? Do I have time to get washed and changed? I'd quite like to get rid of whatever remains of Mr Makepeace are left on me!"

Matthew laughed and said, "good job I know what you're talking about Alice Harvey. Go. We can have dinner about 6 if that's good with you?"

"Perfect" replied Alice but she leaned over Matthew's shoulder and stole a piece of bread that he had buttered. He looked over at her with a petted lip and crossed arms, but Alice could see he was only pretending to be annoyed.

She picked up a dress from her closet and decided against stockings; she was in her own home after all and she was sure Matthew wouldn't notice. Plus, at this time of year, it was far too hot for stockings.

As Alice stood in the shower, she thought about what had happened since she walked though her door, left than half an hour ago. She couldn't believe how easy it had been to be stood in domestic normality with Matthew: it was nice to come home to someone in her kitchen and dinner on the go. She thought about this as she washed but the more she thought about it, it wasn't that it was "someone" in her home, it was that it was Matthew. Alice dried herself off, applied some light makeup and sprayed her perfume, before heading back to the kitchen.

Matthew looked her over from top to toe and said, "you look lovely Alice. That dress is very pretty." He noticed she wasn't wearing any slippers but that made him notice that she wasn't wearing any stockings. This thought gave him a shiver and Alice noticed this.

"You ok Matthew?"

Yes, just…someone must have walked over my grave or something."

He busied himself with the meal he was making and said, "don't you have some slippers Alice?"

Alice looked down at her feet and said, yes, I'll be right back."

Matthew had already set the table and when Alice returned, she asked if there was anything she could do.

"Would you like some wine Alice? If so, you could pour us a glass." Alice took two wine glasses from the cupboard and poured them both a glass of wine and sat down at the table.

Dinner was lovely and Alice and Matthew discussed their current cases, wondered how Jean would be in Adelaide and discussed how Christmas was so quiet, what with Lucien not being there.

"I can't believe he's still missing after all this time." Alice thought aloud.

"I know. I can't believe he left in the first place. Selfish bugger. Now Jean is left alone and there's no answers about where he is or when he's coming back…" he looked over at Alice and said, "Do you think he'll come back? He's been gone an awfully long time…"

Alice placed her hand over Matthew's and said, "Lucien has always been kind to me; I miss him, but you have been friends far longer than and I'm sure you miss him too."

"I'm angry Alice; angry he upped and left Jean…and…well and me and you. Everything has changed thanks to him being a selfish…"

Alice stopped him and said, "Matthew, sometimes we just have to follow our heart where it takes us…don't we?"

Alice lifted her hand from his and caressed the side of his face, "I'm sorry Matthew. I was scared…I'm still scared."

Matthew took her hand from his face and turned her hand over to place a kiss to the palm of her hand.

"I am too Alice, but I would rather you had spoken to me than cast me aside."

"Please Matthew, I never wanted to hurt you but…my whole life has included people questioning my life choices, talking behind my back or to my face. I know Lucien is gone and you needed a police surgeon, but I'd like to think it is because I work hard…not because you 'like' me."

"Alice, I put you forward for the job, it's true BUT, it's the top brass in Melbourne who have to ok it. They didn't even question it; they know you work hard and you're good at what you do, otherwise they wouldn't have thought twice about saying no."

Matthew moved their plates over to the sideboard and lifted the bottle of wine and his glass; he looked over at Alice and said, "come on, bring your glass to the living room."

Alice joined Matthew on the sofa, tucking her feet under the skirt of her dress. She sipped her wine and Matthew fidgeted a little.

"Is your leg bothering you Matthew? I can pull over the pouffe for your leg. Let me get it."

As Matthew was saying no, Alice was up off the sofa going to find the pouffe from the corner of the room. She brought it over, sat it next to Matthew and placed his right leg on it before sitting herself back on the sofa and picking up her wine glass. They sat in amicable silence for a while then Matthew said, "do you have a radio or an LP player, Alice?"

Alice motioned her head to the corner and Matthew got up and found a Christmas LP, "you never struck me as the sentimental type Alice?"

"I saw it in the shop the other day. I thought we could play it tomorrow and…well…I just thought it would be nice."

Matthew reached out his hand and said, "will you dance with me Alice?"

Alice looked up at Matthew and said, "what about your leg?"

"Come on Alice, we'll just sway to the music."

She stood up and took his proffered hand then he pulled her into his dancing embrace. The swayed slowly to the Christmas music and as they did, Alice moved in closer to lean her head on Matthew's shoulder. She could feel her eyes getting heavier and she could feel the alcohol adding to her already tired state.

"She looked up at Matthew and said, "I really am so sorry for hurting you Matthew. I…really do like you…I like you very much. I…"

Matthew silenced Alice with a soft kiss, "I know Alice. Just promise me something? Promise me that when you are worried or scared you talk to me? I thought you didn't want me. I thought you were making an excuse to…"

"No! Matthew no. I love you!" Alice clapped a hand over mouth and sat on the sofa. She picked up her wine glass and drank down the last of the wine, not thinking about how much was actually in there. She coughed at the effect the alcohol was having on its way down her throat.

Matthew stood in the middle of the room, just staring at Alice, "you love me?" he asked.

Alice abruptly stood up from the sofa and started to pace in her living room, with her back to Matthew. Matthew reached out gently to touch Alice on the shoulder, making sure not to alarm her too much.

"Alice?"

"Yes! Yes, I love you…I'm sorry…I…"

Matthew tried to turn Alice round to look at him but she shrugged out of his touch.

"Please don't Matthew. I am sorry. You can leave if you want to."

Alice walked out of the living room and headed for the bathroom. Matthew sat himself down on the sofa resting his head in his hands.

"She loves me? Well…"

Matthew stood up, put his shoulders back, and limped towards the bathroom.

"Alice, come out of there will you? Please?"

There was silence from the other side of the door.

"Come on Alice. It's nothing to be ashamed of…falling in love with the Chief Superintendent of Ballaratt Police. At least I'm available!" Matthew laughed but still heard nothing from the other side of the door.

"Alice, I'll need to sit on the floor if you don't come out soon and sitting on your floor is not going to do my gammy leg any good, is it?"

Alice slowly opened the bathroom door, saw Matthew without his cane and leaning against her wall. She took his hand and walked him back to the living room then sat down next to him. She still wouldn't look at Matthew.

"Alice? What's wrong?"

"I'm scared of my feelings! I don't know what to do with them! I can't do this; I didn't intend to tell you…I…" Alice stood up and started to pace again.

"Alice, pace all you like but please don't go back to the bathroom, my leg is killing me."

He looked over at Alice and asked her to talk to him.

"I…Matthew, you know my childhood was…difficult. I went from there to a children's home and people came and went. My sister was taken…I don't know where she went…I…I've never…I don't know how…I…"

Alice was making very little sense, so Matthew stood up and went to wrap his arms around her, but she flinched. He thought about moving away but pulled her back into his arms.

"Talk to me Alice."

"Lucien and Jean have been so kind to me. I have never had many friends in my life…well not like you and the Blake's. With Lucien gone it has made me think more about loss and love and…" she took a deep breath and looked back at Matthew.

"Let's sit down and you can rest your leg."

"Ok but finish your story." Alice adjusted Matthew's leg on the pouffe and sat down next to him.

"A few weeks ago, a man was brought into the morgue. It wasn't a police case…he had cancer and had died but his family were making a claim against the chemical company he worked for; they wanted to know how much cancer was in his body and where it was. Matthew…when I brought the body out of the fridge and pulled back the sheet…he looked like you. I…I couldn't believe my reaction. I thought about what if it really was you on the table and I couldn't help myself. I…I felt heartbroken. It wasn't until one of the porters dropped by with some paperwork that I realised I was sobbing on the floor. I understood then that I was in love you and I couldn't bear to lose you, like Jean had lost Lucien."

Matthew pulled Alice in to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Alice, I'm sorry that poor bugger looked like me!" he laughed almost silently, and Alice felt it more than heard it.

"It's not funny Matthew. I've never been in love with anyone before."

Matthew kissed the top of her head and said, "well, why don't we deal with this together?"

Alice leaned up from Matthew's shoulder enough to be able to look at his face and said, "but you don't love me Mathew, I…you…"

"Alice, I do but I think you've had more time to think about being in love than I have. I'm not saying that I'm not in love with you, but can't we give each other the chance to find out?"

Alice nodded her head and leaned back into Matthew's shoulder. They sat there like that for half an hour before Matthew noticed the time. He looked down to see Alice's eyes were closed but he wasn't sure if she was sleeping or not.

"Alice? Are you awake?"

Alice mumbled something that Matthew couldn't quite make out, so he reached up his hand and moved an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Alice, come on, I think it's bedtime."

Alice moved and stretched before she got up off the sofa, she helped Matthew up and as she did, he ended up standing right in front of her. Matthew gave into the feeling of kissing her and Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as she did. Alice was the first one to break the kiss and looked at Matthew and said, "I need to make up the bed in the spare room: I completely forgot earlier."

Matthew kissed Alice on the cheek and said, "well I am staying over tonight, and people saw me come into your house…why don't we share a bed and really give the gossips a run for their money?!"

Alice laughed, then thought about it for a minute and looked at Matthew, "no funny business though. Just sleep?"

Matthew took Alice's hand, kissed her fingertips and said, "no funny business, I promise. Come on."

Matthew picked up his bag from the hallway and they manged to both get washed and dressed for bed without any trouble or debating. When Alice opened her nightwear drawer, she looked at her limited options; she had a night nightdress with a V-neck and no sleeves, it was also knee length, which in the summer months was cooler. It was also rather pretty. Alice decided on this and took it to the bathroom with her. When she arrived back in her room, Matthew was already in bed, waiting for her. He looked up when he heard her at the door and as she walked in, he took a deep breath, "you look lovely Alice. I haven't really seen you out of…well… I mean, outside of my dreams that is…"

Matthew realised he said the last bit, went bright red and started to fidget in the bed. Alice placed her dress over the chair and sat down next to Matthew on the bed; she sat her hip next to his legs.

"You've thought about me…in your dreams? What were we doing?"

Matthew continued to fidget under the covers.

"Alice, you're a beautiful woman and I'm a hot-blooded man who hasn't had a girlfriend in years. It's only natural that you would be the subject of my…carnal…well…oh, I don't know!" he ended rather frustrated.

Alice leaned over full of confidence and kissed Matthew square on the lips, he was hesitant at first then gave into the thoughts of Alice in his arms. Alice had straddled his lap and as she felt Matthew's hand move up her nightdress and rest on her back, she suddenly became less confident. Matthew felt her stiffen in his arms. She sat down on his lap and said, "I am sorry, I…"

Matthew pulled Alice over next to him and said, "no funny business. I promised!" he smiled as he kissed her on the lips and reached over to switch off the bedside lamp. He pulled Alice into him and her wrapped his arms around her, resting his hand on her stomach and kissed her neck from behind.

"Goodnight Alice."

"Goodnight Matthew" as she rested her hand over Matthew's.