welcome to part 2 of the NFWMB AU, aka where Matthew and Alice start sleeping together from 2.07 beyond, this particular story is the "missing moments" filling in what happens between the two from the first time they slept together to the events of Like Thunder Under Earth. this chapter takes place directly after Felled By You, Held By You. enjoy! - Dee

Alice woke to sunlight streaming across her bare skin, a slightly cotton feeling in her mouth, a soreness between her legs, and the unfamiliar weight of someone else in her bed; snapping her eyes open, she saw the plain white ceiling of her home as the person next to her shifted and started snoring. Looking to her left, Alice's alarm at who had ended up in her bed waned when she saw the familiar sharp profile of one Matthew Lawson.

'That's right, he came over last night,' she slowly rolled onto her side - blushing when memories of their late night activities came to mind; eyeing the numerous red welts her nails had left on his shoulders, Alice drew both of her lips between her teeth and gnawed on them as her eyes traveled over the rest of Matthew's sleeping body.

"You're staring," he muttered and Alice realized then that he'd stopped snoring.

"I'm a scientist, I like to observe," she smiled as he chuckled. "You're also not that bad to look at."

"Me?" Matthew cracked an eye open and gave her a disbelieving look.

Alice nodded and bit her lower lip when Matthew shifted onto his side to face her; he smiled and slowly reached up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.

"I've uh… not many people have said that about me."

"I'm not most people."

"No…" his smile widened, "no, you're not."

His hand trailed down her cheek, to her neck, over the various love bites and bruises he'd left the night before, and along her collarbone - his touch featherlight as though if he pressed any harder she'd disappear.

"Good morning, Alice," Matthew's voice was deep and gravelly this early in the morning.

"Good morning, Matthew. Sleep well?"

"Like a baby," he grinned when she laughed. "You?"

"Like the dead."

"Oh, a beautiful woman and a jokester are we?" Matthew laughed.

"Charmer," she grinned as he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her lips; Alice froze - startled by the intimate move on Matthew's part.

"Sorry…" he cleared his throat, "was that too forward of me?"

"No, no, not too forward… just… unexpected."

"Do you not want me to kiss you then?"

Alice bit her lower lip and looked up to meet his gaze - it was warm, much like it had been last night and that same warmth bloomed in her chest; it had been some time since someone had looked at her that way and meant it.

"I like your kisses," she finally answered softly, "I'm just… unused to affection."

"All it takes is some practice."

She let out a quiet laugh, "And you'd like to be the one to help me practice."

"Certainly," Matthew grinned - boyish and dimpled and Alice thought it lit up his entire face. "After all, I did say that wooing could come later."

She giggled, "That's true."

"Would you like to be wooed?" he shifted closer, pulling her into his arms - covers and all. "I'm very good at wooing."

"Wooing or… wooing?" Alice trailed a finger along the sharp jut of his cheekbone. "Because I'm familiar with the second kind of wooing with you, and I'd like to become more familiar with it, but…"

"A little hesitant with the first?"

Alice nodded and smiled when Matthew leaned in to kiss her forehead, "People are alright doing the second with me, less so the first, so I stopped trying… and I don't know why I'm admitting this to you."

"Must have that kind of face," he teased lightly.

"You're in the right profession then," she teased back, "must come in handy with all of those criminals."

Matthew smiled and kissed her forehead again, "If… you'd like to try the first kind of wooing, Alice, I'd be happy to go slow, but if you strictly want to stay in the second category, I'd be fine with that too. I won't pressure you."

She traced idle designs on his bare chest as she thought - Matthew's hands warm on her back through the covers; Matthew had already proven that he was different from her former lovers in more ways than one. Should she play it safe? Lock away her heart while seeking physical pleasure? Or… should she take a chance on the man in front of her and allow him to romance her in a way she'd yearned for in the past? Would he get tired of her? Would their relationship bleed into their work and he'd lose respect for her as a doctor once he'd shared her bed?

So many questions and Alice wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answers… or ask them of Matthew.

"Am… am I allowed to change my mind or is this a one time offer?"

"If you want to change your mind, you can change your mind… just… talk to me about it if you do."

"I can do that," Alice smiled. "Can I still think on the first kind of wooing, but enjoy the second?"

"Absolutely," Matthew grinned and rolled her beneath him, "in fact we can enjoy it right now."

"You promised me dinner."

"Then come over for dinner tonight, but first we need to work up an appetite."

Matthew's lips on hers prevented her from replying, and as she wrapped her arms around his neck, Alice couldn't complain. Later, when she walked him to the door - he dressed in his clothes from yesterday (a little rumpled) and she wrapped up in her robe - Matthew pulled her in for a deep, lingering kiss. Alice hummed into it with a smile.

"I'll see you later tonight for dinner?" he caressed her cheekbones with his calloused thumbs.

"Seven o'clock, on the dot," Alice brushed her lips against his and Matthew deepened the kiss.

Waving him off with a smile, and one of her hands covering her still tingling lips, Alice leaned back against her closed door with a crooked grin; regardless of which way they went, she was certain they'd have fun together for however long it lasted.