A short filler chappie that's just to highlight some of the relationships a little...the next chapter is going to be a lot more...dramatic (?)

Many thanks to:

xxxlil-miss-mercerxxx: I'm glad you like Alex and Vince! :) I don't watch 90210 anymore, so I'll have to take your word for it! ;) Thanks!

Sassy Ava: that chapter and this chapter are definitely the calm before the storm... ;) I'm glad you love it!

sweetist of sin: I always thought Vince was kind of a teddy bear, I'm glad you like him! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mickey and Alex

Diamond in the Rough

Chapter 5: Little Things

By: LoveInk

Vince groaned as the alarm blared loudly. He threw an arm over his eyes as sunlight filtered into the room from the blinds. It was way too early and way too bright. He heard a giggle and opened one eye. "Good morning, Sunshine," her voice greeted him from somewhere else in the room.

"Woman, why?" he whined, flipping onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. "It's so early."

"I have work," Alex answered, pulling on a pair of gym shorts. "You do too, remember?"

"Don't remind me," he grunted. He felt the bed shift with her weight before a soft leg slid over the skin of his back. Her small hands gently massaged the thick muscles on his shoulders. At his groan, she kneaded his back a little harder. "You're not making it any easier, sweetheart."

She giggled, leaning forward to press a kiss to his neck. "C'mon, big guy. Get up," she ordered, slapping his back lovingly as she slid off of him.

He flipped over, glancing over at Alex who was kneeling at his side on the bed. She was wearing his old football jersey and a pair of black spandex shorts. His jersey was far too large on her and hung off one of her shoulders, exposing a red patch on her collar bone. Her dark hair was tied in a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck, strands of it falling into her face. She looked beautiful. Her cheeks darkened in a blush when their eyes met. "What?" she asked, pushing a stand of hair behind her ear, it didn't stay there and flopped right back into her face.

"Nothing," he said, moving the strand out of her face. "You look good in my jersey is all."

She played with the hem of the jersey. "I found it in your drawers and I kind of liked it."

"Mickey's been dying to get her hands on it for years," he said with a chuckle. "You can have it."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Sure. It doesn't fit me anymore."

"Thanks, big guy," she said, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. His stomach gurgled and she grinned. "Hungry?" she asked, touching his stomach gently.

Whatever hunger for food dissipated as her fingers slowly trailed up and down his stomach. "Only for you," he growled, attacking her with his lips.

When they finally made it across the street for breakfast, Michaela's jaw dropped when Alex walked in with Vince's jersey on. "Hey! That's mine!" she exclaimed.

While Alex and Michaela bickered over the ownership of the jersey, Mia and Letty exchanged glances. If what Alex said was true and Vince really had given her the jersey, it was a huge step in their relationship. Vince didn't give things easily. He wasn't the doting boyfriend who bought a girl flowers or presents randomly; he was the guy who gave things when he saw fit, when he really cared. Though Vince would never admit it, giving her that jersey was a sign of his love for her. At least, that's what Mia came up with. She was almost positive that his feelings had gotten more serious for Alex, and after hours of coercion and a few shots, Alex had admitted she'd fallen head over heels for him.

Michaela stood up from the table first, giving Leon a quick peck on the lips as she glanced at Alex. "Need a ride, jersey stealer?" she asked.

Alex rolled her eyes while she nodded. "I did not steal it!" she exclaimed, standing up from the table. "Your brother gave it to me. Right, V?"

Vince bobbed his head up and down. "Yeah," he muttered around a mouthful of food. He swallowed and looked up at her expectantly. With a bright smile, she leant over and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Be good you two," he called after them as they headed towards the front door.

"Where's the fun in that?" Michaela shot back, giving Alex a wink as they heard her brother grumble in response.

Michaela unlocked the doors of her new Celica convertible. After she quit her job in Vegas, she had gotten rid of the Corvette. Once she got her cast off, Leon and Vince surprised her with the gorgeous gun-metal gray convertible. At the moment, it was just plain, no design graphics, but she was working on them. Tossing her dance bag into the back, she waited for Alex to get in before starting the car.

"Everything cool with you and Lee?" Alex asked, just to make conversation as they begun their drive toward the dance studio.

Michaela nodded. "Yeah, he ended up being sort of right in the end. He usually is," she said on a sigh. "Don't tell him a said that."

"My lips are sealed," she replied on a giggle at Michaela's stern glare. "You guys don't fight often do you?"

"Nope. He's too easy going for us to really butt heads," she explained with a wave of her hand. "Plus, he's kind of a pushover."

Alex smiled and nodded. "When he came over, he was trying to think of what to apologize to you for. I fell asleep between "sorry for calling you thick-headed" and "sorry for even mentioning it." It was a little ridiculous."

Michaela laughed, hitting the steering wheel with the palm of her hand as she did so. "You fell asleep?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.

"I was exhausted!" Alex defended, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Your brother gave me a really good work out, if you know what I mean…"

"Oh gross!" Michaela gagged in response. "I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. What was with you two last night? A food fight, really? What are you, eight?"

She shrugged. "He was having a hard night. I just wanted to cheer him up."

"Did you have to be so loud about it, though? I mean, you guys woke us up this morning! It was the most disgusting alarm clock I've ever heard."

"Well, we were supposed to have the place to ourselves, Mickey," Alex reminded her, her cheeks becoming a darker shade of red.

Michaela wrinkled her nose as she pulled into the parking lot. "And tomorrow you can have it. I never want my poor ears to hear that again! And holy crap, did you come out with marks galore! What the hell happened in there?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, feigning innocence as she got out of the car.

"You don't know what I'm talking about," Michaela repeated sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She lifted up Alex's shirt. "I'm talking about these finger bruises." She pressed on a particularly dark one.

"Ow!" Alex exclaimed, slapping her hand away.

"And that huge hickey that you failed at covering up," she said pointing to the partially covered hickey on Alex's neck.

"He may have gotten a little…carried away," Alex said before placing her hand over the spot Michaela had pointed out. "Is it that bad? I have to teach kids today!"

"You want me to help you? Mia's got this amazing…"

"No!" Alex shouted, cutting her off. She had experience with Mia's "amazing trick" and it hurt like hell. "I'll just put my hair over it. Thanks."

"Are you sure? It's pretty noticeable."

Alex nodded her head emphatically. "I'm going to kill your brother for this. I swear he does it on purpose some times."

Michaela grinned. "Oh he definitely does, but you like it you dirty, dirty girl."

Review, review, review, please! :)

~Love Ink