A/N LOL, thanks for saying I'm a hero Caia. I always try to update fast because I know how frustrating it can be when you want to read the next part. Especially with this series because I can't leave it alone. I was getting withdrawal symptons over the past 2 days because I wasn't typing it up.

Singin' the Baby Blues

Mike could feel something pressing on his nose, something unusual and a little wet. Opening his eyes he couldn't see anything other than the blonde hair of Alex's. Moving his eyes a little he finally saw some fingers, little tiny fingers pressing against his nose; holding his pacifier to Mike. Nathan had obviously moved during the night. Mike heard movement and noticed Alex turning to face him; she looked wide awake. Alex smiled when she saw Mike's open eyes. "Hey." Mike greeted her, sleepily.

"Hey, yourself." She smiled again and blew a kiss at him, not wanting to disturb her nephew.

He blew a kiss back, "Did you get any more sleep?" he asked, trying to gently move Nathan's hand and pacifier away from his nose. Alex helped him a little and watched as the boy didn't falter in his sleep.

Alex shook her head, "No, I tried, I think I almost did several times and then I just seemed to wake up again." Mike felt sorry for her, he couldn't imagine what that was like.

"Why'd you stay in bed then?" Mike asked, curious.

"Oh, because it's better than pacing around." she replied, before adding, "And warm." Mike looked out the window and noticed it was snowing. He nodded in agreement, it had been cold when they were asleep on that sofa. He'd been grateful for her offer at allowing him in between the covers because he was certain he'd have gone blue otherwise.

Alex looked at Nathan and then at Mike, "He likes you." she whispered.

Mike smiled, "He's a good kid." was all Mike could think of saying. He'd never had any child particularly like him. Alex seemed to be thinking for a moment and Mike watched her with curiosity. "Hey." he brought her attention back to the present, "Tell me what you're thinking."

Alex fiddled with the edge of the covers and looked at him. She seemed hesitant but she decided to ask anyway, "I was just wondering if... you liked children. Do you?"

"Yeah, I do." Mike replied, after a moments consideration. "I'm not such a fan of teenagers but sure I like kids." He hoped that answer would satisfy her but Alex seemed to be thinking again, which made him think that she perhaps hadn't asked her correct question. Taking his chances he decided to find out, "Are you asking me if I ever want kids?" The way Alex suddenly looked at him told Mike that the answer was 'yes'. Mike gave her small smile, "When I was younger, much younger, I was going to be a father." Alex sat up a little at the mention of that. "Then my girlfriend had an abortion without even telling me." Alex looked down and avoided eye contact. Mike watched her for a moment as she let that piece of information sink in, but before she get the worst idea from his past he continued, "I don't know if I'd be a good father but..." Mike looked down at Nathan as he shifted, so he lowered his voice level. "If I ever was going to have a go, it would be with you." Alex smiled brightly at that admission and she leaned over her nephew and kissed Mike.

She didn't know if they would ever have children, she stood by what she told Jo; it was too early to really think about, but she was relieved that he at least felt enough to say that to her. Knowing Mike she knew it wasn't something small he'd just said to her. Letting go of Mike's lips she smiled at him. Hearing a murmer from Nathan she moved away as she noticed the little boy was waking up.

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Cunning was the word that Mike used to describe Alex's nephew. Cunning.

The boy was avoiding having his coat put on despite the fact that both Alex and Mike were trying to catch him. Once they'd got a hold of him and put one arm in the coat he had found a way to be free again. "You still think he's a good kid?" Alex asked, annoyed but amused.

Mike shook his head, "I'm taking it back!" They heard a child's laugh and realised that he'd rushed into her bedroom. "Okay, we can do this." He told her. "I'll go in, you follow, I'll hold him, you put the coat on. Got it?"

Alex mock saluted him and nodded. "Let's go!" she laughed as she followed Mike into her bedroom, fully prepared for a child to go passed them.

Creeping into the room, Mike spotted Nathan around the other side of the bed, trying to hide. Mike laughed as he walked aroud and grabbed a hold of his dungarees straps, lifting him up into the air. Pulling him close to his chest, he wrapped his arms gently but with enough grip that the boy didn't fall or get away. Alex walked over to him and put Nathan's coat on him. Nathan was struggling against Mike and Alex but it didn't take her long to get it on him. Mike than handed Nathan to Alex, but he still struggled; obviously wanting to hide again.

Alex refused to let him go, she held onto him as they walked out of the room. Mike went to fetch their coats as Alex sat down with Nathan, putting his hat and gloves on him. Once Mike had his coat on, he took Nathan off her hands as she put hers on.

Mike looked at him and grinned. "You can't get away from Aunt Alex!" He told him, laughing. Nathan was clapping his hands, noticing the strange and dull sound they made now they were in gloves. Once Alex was ready she walked over to them .

"We ready?" she asked, smiling. Hoping they were because it was getting frustrating. All she wanted was some groceries, she hadn't expected the whole fiasco at getting her newphew ready to go out.

Mike nodded, and watching him, Nathan followed suit and nodded the same way Mike was. This caused Alex to laugh. "That's just weird." Mike said, watching Nathan as he watched Mike. Alex reached the door and opened it, standing aside to let them past.

Alex closed the door behind them and they walked down the steps together, shivering a little at the contact of cold wind. Mike kept a hold of Nathan knowing Alex's ribs were still hurting and he was heavy. Alex grabbed a hold of Mike's hand as they walked to the nearby bodega.

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Thankfully Nathan had been especially good in the shop and he had even been allowed to walk back as long as he promised he wouldn't run away from them at all. He was walking inbetween them both, holding their hands. Alex and Mike were both holding a brown bag of groceries, neither one of them could hold him really, so they were thankful he was being on his best behaviour.

That was, of course, until he'd seen the park where people were throwing snow balls. He was trying to loosen their grips on his hands. "Ssshnow! I wanna play!" He was shouting and Alex was shaking her head.

"No, no, we've got to go home. Mummy will be coming for you this afternoon." She told him but he wasn't having any of it. She wanted to get him home so he could eat something other than cereal and milk.

"No! Ssshnow!" He wriggled free of their hands and took off in the direction of the park. Alex groaned as he passed the grocery bag to Mike and chased after him. Mike jogged behind her, knowing she'd catch up with the little boy.

She did, and once she did she took a hold of his hands and looked at him in her best I'm-not-happy-with-you-what-you-did-was-wrong look. "That was naughty!" she scolded him. "Don't do that again!"

"I wanna play with da ssshnow!" He told her, determined to get his own way.

"No!" she told him sternly. "We're going now." She was about to stand up when a snowball had hit Nathan squarely in the face, causing tears to well up immediately. Alex pulled the snow off his face as she turned to see a group of youths laughing at them. Alex rolled her eyes in anger but she refused to say anything to them. But she didn't have to because she could hear Mike was already doing so as he'd caught them up in time to see them doing it.

"You have a thing for throwing snowballs at kids! Get out of here!" Mike yelled, only to have them laugh at him. Alex picked Nathan up as he cried into her shoulder, she walked over to Mike. "I said get out of here!"

"Yeah, who the hell are you?" They asked, trying to act tough.

Mike used one hand to hold both bags and then pulled out his badge. "You're leaving now." They did so straight away and sprinted away from Mike and Alex quickly. Mike looked at Alex and shrugged, knowing she probably wouldn't have approved of what he'd done but it didn't matter. "Is he alright?" he asked, looking at Nathan who was still crying a little.

Alex nodded, "He's fine, it was just the shock of having something cold thrown into his face."

Mike looked at her thoughtfully and then smiled, "Put him down." he told her.

Alex looked confused. "Why?"

"Just do it, I've got an idea." He offered that as explanation as he stepped away from her, putting some distance between them. Alex slowly put Nathan down and he just stood there, not moving away from the spot she'd put him, as she watched him she became shocked when she felt something hit her chest. Looking up she saw Mike with a mischevious grin on his face and it was evident that he'd thrown a snowball at her. The groceries had been put down beside his feet.

Gasping in shock, she bent over to pick some snow up and tossed it at him, but he'd seen it coming and he'd ducked. Nathan started laughing at their antics. He saw Mike and started clapping. "Mikey!" Mike tossed another snowball at Alex, who managed to get out of it's way. Nathan rushed off and she was about to chase after him again when she noticed he was running to Mike. She picked up another snowball and was about to throw it at them when she noticed that Mike was trying to hide behind Nathan.

She walked over to them and shook her head. "You can't hide behind the kid!" she told him, still unable to throw her snowball, thinking that Nathan wouldn't want another thrown at him. "That's not fair game!"

Mike laughed as Nathan began repeating his name again, "Mikey!" Nathan bent forward and picked up some snow. Alex prepared herself for having one thrown at her, not wanting to duck his because it wouldn't be as funny for him. But she was pleasantly surprised when one never hit her. Nathan had turned around and smacked it into Mike's face instead. Alex started laughing incredibly hard, so did Nathan, as Mike wiped the snow off his face. When he stood up he started laughing as well because Alex's laughter was contagious, and she was laughing almost hysterically.

"Yeah, he's an Eames alright." Mike said, laughing, taking hold of Nathan's hand and leading him back to Alex, who was still laughing. Mike handed Nathan to her and he retrieved the groceries. "You can stop laughing now." he told her, as they started walking away from the park.

"I'm sorry." she said through fits of laughter, "But your face was priceless!"

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Jo had come to fetch Nathan in the afternoon like she'd promised. Although she hadn't convinced Karl he was a great father, she had convinced him to keep trying and not to do that to her again. As soon as she could Alex had picked up her phone and called Carolyn to apologise and see about going out, which she promptly agreed to. So here the four of them were, sitting around a corner table of a restaurant, having dinner together. The four of them being Bobby, Carolyn, Mike and Alex.

"So how was the babysitting?" Bobby asked, as he took in his partners weary look.

"Tiring, thanks. I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep." she replied, taking a sip of her drink, looking at Mike, who smiled.

Carolyn snorted, "Yeah, I can imagine how difficult it must be to babysit Mike." she joked, causing Mike to look unamused at his partner. Alex just laughed at that and Mike shook his head.

"Hey!" Mike exclaimed when she wouldn't stop laughing at him - again. Alex smiled and stop laughing; out aloud anyway.

"So, did you have a good birthday?" Alex asked Carolyn.

Carolyn nodded, "Yeah, I didn't get much sleep either." Alex noticed the way it sounded like that had double-meaning. She looked at her friend who then grabbed her hand, dragging her off to the bathroom.

Mike watched their retreating backs and looked at Bobby, "Why do women do that? Are they afraid they'll get lost on the way?"

"I - I think women go to the bathroom to gossip." Bobby told him, "It's usually the kind of gossip you don't say in front of male friends." Mike nodded, that he could possibly understand. "Especially when one of them is dating... one." Mike had a sudden thought that Alex would be talking about him, but he shook it off. It wasn't her style, was it? As if Bobby could sense what he was thinking, "For what it's worth I don't think they'll be talking about you."

"How do you know?"

"I don't." Bobby told him, "I just don't think they will. They'll probably be talking about what Carolyn was implying about before they left." Mike was about to ask another question when he realised what Bobby was referring to. Mouthing the word 'oh', Mike watched as they came back to the table. Carolyn was a little red in the face and Alex was smiling. Mike wanted to know about it too but he figured he was better off not saying anything about it. He just smiled at Alex, who kissed him, and then returned her attention to something Bobby was saying.

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Let me know what you guys think of this one.