Chapter 37-another chapter of this FF story which is a cross-fiction w/ Northern Exposure. Thanks for reading and for the feedback!

Matt just watched Chris work his magic on every woman in the Brick including C.J. He had them mesmerized before he'd even opened his mouth.

"Like I said, a couple of scientists offered to study him," Joel said, "to figure out why he's so appealing to the fairer sex."

Ruth Ann wandered by and chuckled.

"If they could just bottle it up and sell it," she said, "I'd carry it in my store for my most loyal customers."

Joel made a face.

"Ruth Ann, that's hardly a progressive way to think in the 21st century."

She shrugged.

"It's good enough for men; it's definitely good for women," she said, "Equal rights and all."

Joel scowled.

"I was raised believing that you know," he said, "My grandmother marched for equal rights"

She patted his hand.

"That's all well and good Joel," she said, "that the apple didn't fall far from the tree."

Maggie joined them and rolled her eyes at the thought.

"His grandmother could have been Susan B. Anthony and it wouldn't have mattered…"

He looked at her perplexed.

"Susan B. who?"

She shook her head.

"My point exactly," she said, "Thanks for making it easy Fleischmann."

Matt and C.J. just watched them go at it again. He hadn't been all that worried about Chris and the attention he paid to C.J. because Chris was just being nice and Matt knew C.J. loved him. Even though she wouldn't agree to marry him.

Chris brought a glass of brew back with him to the table.

"Hollings and Dave made this fresh," he said, "It's apple cider with a little bit of kick."

"You mean alcoholic," Joel interjected.

Chris looked at him thoughtfully.

"Why yes of course," he said, "Is that a problem?"

Joel shook his head.

"Ask Maggie."

She shot him a look back.

"So I played a well known member of the temperance movement in one of your dreams once," she scoffed, "It doesn't mean anything."

"I know that," he said, "This has nothing to do with that."

"Oh in your dreams Fleischmann," she said, "You're such…an amoeba."

His brows rose as did those of others in the room.

"Hey O'Connell, you came up with a new insult," he said, "You're making progress here."

She just shook her head at him and left the table. Joel simply shook his head again.

"She needs to get past her issues," Joel muttered.

Maggie wasn't the only one, Matt thought.

C.J. helped Shelli pass out the cider as her friend looked like she was about to burst. Shelli had told her that she only had several weeks to go before she would have her baby.

"That's not long," C.J. said, "Are you ready?"

Shelli blew a tendril of hair out of her face and nodded.

"I've been ready," she said, "and I think Hollings is finally too."

"He's really had to adjust to all this?"

Shelli picked up a spare glass.

"It wasn't easy," she said, "I mean he's probably going to live to be twice as old as he is now but this is his first child. He finally gets to be a father."

"He looks like he's handling it well."

Shelli shrugged.

"Now, but in the beginning…"

C.J. thought at least she hadn't had that problem with Matt…once he found out. She knew he had waited his whole life to be a father even if he hadn't known that he would share that experience with her.

"Hollings quit drinking."

"Really," C.J. said, "because of the baby?"

"Well partly," Shelli said, "and also because he's getting ready for the annual running of the bulls."

C.J. nodded.

"Ah, the one where all the men run naked in the freezing cold."

Shelli sighed.

"They get shots of brandy before they even take their clothes off," she said, "and no one's died yet."

"Sounds interesting."

Shelli looked at C.J. brightly.

"So do you think Matt will be interested?"

C.J. thought about it. Matt certainly wasn't ashamed of his body which he kept in very fine form. And it's not like she and the other employees of his company hadn't walked into the penthouse and seen him naked as a jaybird except for his cowboy hat. Not that you could really see much beneath the bubbling water but the very idea…

"He might be," she said, "He's not decided yet."

Shelli smiled as she handed out some more cider.

"He should, it's lots of fun…"

"Do the men really enjoy it," C.J. asked.

"Of course they do," Shelli said, "At least most of them. I'm not so sure about others…"

C.J. looked at where Matt sat with Joel and the others.

"What about Joel?"

Shelli made a face which she quickly covered with a smile.

"Oh him," she said, "Well he whined about it at first until we all got sick of listening to him but when push came to shove, and Maurice really can shove, he took off his clothes and ran with the rest of them."

"He doesn't look like he enjoys much," C.J. noted as Shelli poured them both nonalcoholic cider.

Shelli thought about it.

"He enjoys his work," she said, "He enjoys being a doctor…just not here."

"He's a good doctor and he's nice when he wants to be."

Shelli nodded.

"I think under it all, he's a way cool guy, just itching to come out," she said, "Maybe this year's spring running of the bulls will do it for him."

C.J. sipped her cider.

"So the women just watch then."

Shelli put her glass down and nibbled on some pretzels.

"Well yeah of course," she said, "It's really a lot of fun."

C.J. smiled at her thinking that it sounded like it. She wondered what Matt thought.

"So Matt, you're in shape for the running of the bulls," Joel asked.

Matt looked up at him.

"I'm in shape for anything," he said, "but I'm not one for running around in the cold and getting frostbite if I can help it."

"You won't get frostbite," Joel explained, "The blood circulates from the exercise and time passes very quickly."

Matt didn't doubt that, he just wasn't sure he wanted the entire town to see him naked. Sure, he wasn't ashamed of his body and he did like to spend time soaking in his Jacuzzi in the buff back in the penthouse suite in L.A. And he had never been shy with the ladies, particularly one…

"Of course he's going to do it," Maurice walked up slapping him on the back, "He's not going to let his lady friend down."

Matt looked at him.

"Do you run," he asked.

Maurice smiled widely.

"Of course I do," he said, I have to set an example for the town as one of its founding business partners."

"Oh don't get started Maurice," Ruth Ann said, rolling her eyes.

"Ruth Ann, this is a proud tradition among Cicely's bulls," Maurice said, "It will be passed on to future generations."

Ruth Ann just chuckled.

"Oh Maurice you do go on," she said, "but maybe you should think about sitting this one out."

He frowned.

"What do you mean," he asked.

"Because of your tendency to grandstand the event."

Maurice looked shocked.

"I have never done such a thing," he said, "and I will not sit this one out."

He turned over to Chris.

"You aren't thinking about passing up this year."

Chris shook his head.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Maurice," he said.

Maggie and Ruth Ann both breathed a sigh of relief because truth be told, Chris usually proved to be one of the event's highlights not that they would ever objectify him or anything.

"Okay Chris," Maurice said simply.

The women looked over and smiled as Shelli and C.J. came over to join them.

"So what's up," Shelli asked.

Maurice sighed.

"We're discussing the running of the bulls."

Shelli brightened.

"So were we," she said, "So are you all up for it?"

They nodded enthusiastically and C.J. turned to Matt, lifting a brow.

"Oh count me in," he said.

And then Maurice ordered another round for all of them as they toasted the time worthy tradition of Cicely's version of the running of the bulls.