Alice woke to find Matthew still lying against her back with his arms around her; the only difference from when she had fallen asleep was that she could feel Matthew's want for her. She giggled to herself and as she did, she felt Matthew move but he obviously realised the situation and tensed up, trying to move away from Alice.

"I'm already awake Matthew, there's no point moving." She turned in his arms and kissed him on the lips. "Merry Christmas Matthew."

He leaned in and kissed her again, increasing the passion with every kiss; Matthew moved over Alice, lifted her nightdress and she helped him remove his pyjamas. They made love and when they were both sated, they both slumped into their pillows, trying to catch their breath. When they had done so, Matthew leaned on his elbow and leaned into kiss Alice, "Merry Christmas Alice."

Alice lifted her hand to caress Matthew's face feeling the day-old stubble and said, "yes it really was a very merry Christmas for me! I hope it was the same for you!" He answered her question with a long and sensuous kiss.

"We really should get up", said Alice. "Well, I need to use the bathroom so I'm going to have to leave this bed."

As she did as she had said, Alice leaned back into Matthew for one last kiss then pulled her nightdress back over her head. When Alice returned from the bathroom, Matthew was sitting on the edge of the bed, stretching his leg; as Alice came around to his side, she noticed that he was still naked. She leaned in to stand between his legs and bent down for a kiss.

"Do you think you could handle round two, Chief Superintendent?" she whispered in a sultry tone.

Matthew stood up and sat Alice on the bed, "wait for me…I need to…" he pointed towards the bathroom and the last thing Alice saw was Matthew's bare backside going out her bedroom door. As she waited, she thought about what they had just done and about how much she had enjoyed it, but mostly about how much she wanted to do it again! She chided herself for almost not having this with Matthew; Jean was right, people will always need something to gossip about and if it was her and Matthew, to Hell with them!

Matthew returned and found Alice lying naked under the covers,

"Dr Harvey? I do believe you are rather keen?" he giggled a little and found his way under the covers, caressed her stomach and pulled her into him for a kiss.

Matthew suddenly became rather serious and looked to Alice, "I hope you know I don't do this often Alice? I told you I love you, and it's true but, if I'm honest, I certainly never thought we'd be doing this on Christmas day. I genuinely thought…I thought I'd be on my own. I wanted so much to spend Christmas with you, but I was trying to be professional after you said you..."

Alice reached over and cupped his face with her hands, "I'm sorry I hurt you Matthew. I suppose I was trying to save myself. It's selfish, I know it is, but I usually have to look after myself…please don't break my heart. I'm not sure if I could take much more."

A tear fell from Alice's cheek onto the pillow; Matthew wiped it with his thumb then kissed the spot he had just wiped.

"I'll try not to but…you need to promise to do the same. I don't let that many people into my life and…Alice…I have loved you for some time, but you hurt me badly…I thought we…that you…you hurt me."

Alice noticed that Matthew shed a tear and saw him turn and try to get up from the bed, but she pulled him back down and placed his head on her chest. They both lay there silently as Alice ran her fingers through Matthew's hair and wiped Matthew's tears away.

"Please don't leave me Alice…not now that we have…that we've made love…I…I don't want this to be a one-time thing. I know I said I'd thought about you before but, you really are so very beautiful and so…" he looked up from her chest and looked at her lips.

He kissed her, kissed her with so much passion and abandon that he never thought he had it in him. He could feel Alice's breath catch but kept on kissing her, running his tongue along her bottom lip, looking for access to her mouth. He moved his way down her neck and as he did, he could hear Alice gasp for air then felt her grasp his shoulders like she was holding on for dear life. She repeated his name over and over again as they made love frantically but tenderly and when they were both satisfied, they both lay there catching their breath. Alice moved herself into the curve under Matthew's arm and rested her head on his chest; she could hear the uneven breaths he was taking and she moved her head just enough to kiss his chest. When Alice lay her head back down on Matthew's chest, she lay her hand there and ran her fingers up and down through the small tuffs of hair that were found there.

When Matthew had caught his breath, he leaned down, placed a finger under her chin so that she was looking at him and kissed her tenderly.

"That was…" Matthew couldn't finish his sentence.

Alice never raised her head, but she whispered, "yes…it was…" into his chest.

An hour later Alice opened her eyes to find she was still in the same position; snuggled into Matthew's side and chest. She moved her head, and as she did, she felt Matthew move too.

"Did we fall sleep? You must have worn me out Dr Harvey!" he slid himself up into a half sitting position against the headboard, moved his hand to caress Alice's face then leaned in to kiss her.

Alice placed her hand over Matthew's on her face and moved it to kiss the palm of his hand.

"Matthew I was thinking about what you said earlier…about breaking your heart."

Matthew moved his hand back to her face and said, "enough Alice."

"Matthew you asked me to talk to you and that's what I'm trying to do." She sat up in the bed next to him, tucking her legs round so that she was looking at him.

"Matthew, it has never been like this for me. Never. I…I know that both of us have been hurt or…when we were young and the people who I loved, and were supposed to love me, they hurt me…badly. I learnt not to trust people, not to love people as everyone who did left me broken hearted." She looked over at Matthew with unshed tears in her eyes and said, "maybe I'm just broken."

She hung her head into her hands on her knees and continued, "I love you Matthew Lawson and as much as I am scared of the talk and unsure about how to be in a relationship, I'd like to be in a relationship…with you." She lifted her head to look at him and said, "I'd like to try and mend your heart, if you'll help me do the same?" Alice tried to lighten the mood ever so slightly and said, "I should be ok at it…I am a fully trained doctor, you know?" She winked as she looked at Matthew.

"Alice…darling Alice. You are not broken but I think us working together to mend our hearts sounds like a good idea. Now, I'm sure I promised to show you how to make pancakes so we should get started and, we should start our dinner preparations too. After that, well…" He looked at Alice quizzically then said, "if you could do absolutely anything today, what would you have us do?"

Alice thought for a few minutes and Matthew could see the cogs going around as she furrowed her brow; he could see her really concentrating.

"I don't know Matthew; I normally have come for Christmas dinner at Mycroft Avenue all of the time I have been in Ballaratt."

"And before that?" asked Matthew.

"I worked."

"Well, not this year Dr Harvey. It's just you and me and a turkey dinner so, what would you like to do?"

"I know this sounds…well…no…it's not proper."

"Alice, come on…it's just me and I'm not going to judge! What would you like to do?"

"I've always wanted to have a Christmas day in my pyjamas…well…nightdress. It's always rather warm this time of year. Also..."

"Oh, I see you're on a roll now!" Matthew leaned over to attempt to tickle Alice. He wasn't sure if she was ticklish or not but within a minute, he found his answer when she was wriggling and squirming beneath him.

"Stop it Matthew, stop it!" she kept repeating.

"Well tell me then woman, what do you want to do?!"

"STOP! And I'll tell you."

Matthew let her sit up and catch her breath.

"I'd like to sit in the living room and eat dinner there. No formal meal: we have a picnic on the floor with our Christmas dinner."

"It's a plan then. Let's do it. Christmas dinner in our pyjamas on a picnic blanket on the floor."

Alice looked over at Matthew and said, "it is a fun idea Matthew and I really love you for agreeing to it but I'm not sure your leg will take sitting on the floor all day will it?"

"I say we give it a go. As long as I have it stretched out and we sit on some cushions, I don't see why we can't."

"If you're sure?" Matthew nodded and kissed Alice once more. As Alice looked at Matthew she asked, "what would you like to do on Christmas then? That is, if you had your way?"

Matthew smiled and said, "oh Alice, the reality was way better than the dream so I'd say I've had my way…my very wicked way with one Dr Alice Harvey!" he began tickling her again and she shouted "stop Matthew, my bladder is not as young as it once was! I could totally embarrass both of us and wet this bed. Now stop tickling me!"

Alice got out of bed, pulled on her nightdress and made her way to the bathroom. She walked back in from the door and said, "I was thinking we have breakfast and prepare for our dinner; while it's cooking, we could wash, and I'll pop on a clean night dress. I'll make that effort for dinner!"

Matthew looked at Alice and said, "I only brought one pair of pyjamas with me; if I wear them now…"

"Well…you could wear my light robe now, your pyjamas for our pyjama Christmas party, then later…" she lifted her eyebrow and Matthew smirked, getting out of bed and pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"and later…?"

"Well, you won't need pyjamas for what I have in mind for us!" she stood on her toes to kiss him hard and leaned her hand around to grasp his bare bum.

"Alice Harvey! You devious woman!"

"Come on superintendent, you have work to do; you promised me pancakes and I think we have definitely worked up an appetite!"

"Alice? What has gotten into you?"

"She turned around and in a sultry tone she said, "you Matthew Lawson, that's what has gotten into me!"

Matthew stood there in disbelief at this confident and cheeky woman. He loved her.