The next morning, Nigel bounded into the morgue with a skip in his step.

That is, until Dr. Macy called him into his office.

'Nigel, where were you yesterday? I thought I told you to help Miss Edwards find her friend.'

'I did, Dr M. We went to where Jessica was seen last, and we asked a few questions, and we think we found her!' Nigel didn't bother to sit down, he knew he would be up and showing Dr Macy his findings soon enough.

'Already?'

'Yeah, there was this waitress at this diner who's seen her every Monday the past little while, so we're going to go back there and see if we can bring her back to the morgue.'

'Nice job, Nigel, keep up the good work – but just remember one thing.'

'Yeah, what's that?'

'No matter how attractive you think she is, she's a very powerful woman, and I don't want any complaints from her or her company.'

Stunned, Nigel replied, 'But, Dr Macy, I would never do something that could be considered – '

'Nigel – Nigel – look, with Ivers going over everything here, I just want everything to be squeaky clean. Alright? You can go – keep me posted.'

'Sure, Dr M.' Nigel walked out the room, and came into the lab, only to be pounced on by Jordan Cavanaugh.

'Nigel! You're back – great. We've missed you.'

'Good to know I'm loved,' he replied, sitting in front of a computer.

'Ah, you overestimate yourself. It's your computer skills I'm after. I need you to hack into this PDA for me – it's password protected and I need to know where this guy has been. Oh, and if at all possible, would you mind –? '

'Not telling Dr Macy?'

'You're a saint, Nige, I owe you one,' Jordan quipped, clapping him on the shoulder.

'At last count, it's many, many more than one that you owe me,' he told her, plugging the Blackberry into his computer.

'One, one hundred and one, who's counting?'

'I should be…'

'Hey, Nigel, I hope I'm not intruding…' said a small voice from the door.

'Alexis! Hey!' Nigel laughed, jumping up to greet her.

'Alexis… hey, I saw you in here yesterday – loved the jacket,' Jordan said, walking towards where Alexis stood.

'Thanks. It's new.' Alexis looked quizzically at Nigel. 'Aren't you going to introduce us?'

'Of course, how silly – Alexis, this is Doctor Jordan Cavanaugh, our resident psychopath – Jordan, this is Alexis Edwards. I'm helping her with a case.'

'Pleasure to meet you, Dr Cavanaugh,' Alexis said, putting out her hand.

'Same here – and it's Jordan. Dr Cavanaugh just sounds so mature.'

'Which she's most certainly not,' Nigel added, ducking a blow from Jordan's direction.

'Nige – computer?'

'I see you're not one to be interrupted,' Alexis said, following the two back to the computer.

'It's, ah, all about me, I'm afraid. Not to mention that Nigel's just about the most pliable guy you'll ever meet.'

'They're all pretty biddable. You just need the attitude.'

'Oh, I hear that. But you can't just ask a guy to do something like you can Nigel, here.'

'Oh, I dunno – in my experience, all guys are the same. Trust me – if I unbuttoned the top, say, two buttons on my blouse right now, the next guy that walked in would stop in his tracks. He'd do anything I asked.'

'Oh really? You think so?'

'Shall we test this theory, then?' Alexis asked, raising her eyebrow sarcastically.

'Alright – you do that, and then we'll see what happens.'

'What should I ask him, then? I guarantee he'll stutter and stare.'

'Just ask about the break room.'

'Letting me off easy! Alright then. You're on, Jordan.' Alexis smiled and winked at Nigel before unbuttoning the top two buttons on her plaid olive green, gold, and peach red blouse to reveal a large, round necklace, resting above her ample chest.

'Oh, well, that's not fair,' Jordan said, gesturing at Alexis's chest.

Alexis just smiled as the door opened and Woody Hoyt entered the lab.

'Ah, Jordan, you're here. I was just looking for you –' Woody started, but he stammered silent when he laid eyes on Alexis.

'Woody? What do you have for me?' Jordan asked, glancing at Alexis.

'I… uhm… hiya there,' was all he could get out.

'Hi… um, could you point me in the way of the break room?' Alexis asked Woody in a small, sweet voice.

'Yea… it's… um….' He pointed vaiguly down the hallway, not taking his eyes off her. As Alexis passed him, she shot him a playful smile.

Before walking out the door, however, she turned back to face Jordan and said in a buisnesslike tone, 'Like I said, Dr Cavanaugh, all men are the same. I'll see you later. Nice meeting you, Woody.'

Woody watched her walk down the hallway, and called behind her, 'You too!...' He then turned to Jordan and Nigel, and asked, 'Who is she? What does she mean, all men are the same?'

'Just a scientific exploration of human nature,' Jordan replied, chuckling slightly. 'Whatcha got for me?'

Nigel laughed as Woody glanced back out the window after Alexis, and delivered his report. Nigel then stopped as he realized he had barely said two words to her when she walked in.

When he reached the break room, Alexis was standing beside the coffee machine. 'You know, that thing is more complicated than half the machines in the lab,' Nigel said, smiling.

'Oh, hey,' Alexis replied, turning away from the large chrome monstrosity. 'I thought as much. Which is why I stick to tea. It's simpler… when you know the kitchen, that is.'

'Let me help…' Nigel walked over to her and reached into the cabinet above her head, "accidentally" pinning her between him and the countertop.

'Oh, my…' Alexis muttered with a shy giggle behind her words.

'Sorry about that,' Nigel said, backing up slightly (but not enough to free her), and picking up a clean mug.

'No problem,' she squeaked in reply, averting her eyes, and flipping her long brown tresses in front of her face. 'So, um, what did you think about that little experiment?' she asked conversationally, grinning.

'Oh, I dunno if it was fair. See, Woodrow's something of a goody goody… he's from a small town in Wisconsin, you know, so anything as…blatant as that would send his good, pure Catholic mind into a frenzy.' Nigel smiled as he turned a small kettle on to boil. 'You know, though, that "experiment"? I didn't know you had it in you.' He crossed his arms and watched with pleasure as she blushed and looked down at her causal blouse.

'Well… okay, so I like messing with people. I was just lucky it was someone as mess-able as your… um… Woody. But it's all in good fun – I promise.'

Nigel shook his head in amazement, and moved to pour the boiling water on a tea bag for her. 'You know, for a shy, small town girl, you know amazingly well how to… pardon the frankness… seduce a man,' Nigel told her, handing her the steaming mug.

Laughing, Alexis replied, 'Well, I always loved romance novels and movies, and I… um… always wanted a man to look at me like I thought the heroes in the media looked at the heroine. With complete and utter adoration… and, ok, lust.'

'Lust! My, Miss Edwards, that is not the type of thing you should be thinking about,' Nigel chided, taking his weight off the surface he was leaning on.

'Oh? And what is? Embroidery? Cupcake recipes? Room décor?'

'Yes. And flower arrangements and baby names and dowries… not the ones between your shoulders, mind you. Leave the lust to the men,' Nigel muttered as he moved in slightly.

'The men, eh?' Alexis muttered quietly, glancing up between her eyelashes and placing the untouched mug on the countertop.

'Yeah. The men.' Here, he leaned in fully, and kissed her softly.

Suddenly, a charge seemed to flow through them, and Alexis stood up on her toes to deepen the kiss. She put her arms around his neck as he put his around her waist.

When they parted, they didn't separate. Alexis knocked her forehead against Nigel's chest, and muttered, 'Well…'

Nigel cuddled her up closer to his chest, and put his lips by her ear. 'Fa-r-r-a-h,' he muttered quietly, 'C'mon, luv. Say something other than 'well.' It's slightly discouraging – and I don't know if my ego can take it.'

He heard a small gurgle of laughter, and Alexis replied, 'Poor thing. I think you'll survive. The only person with a larger ego than you is Céline Dion.'

'Well, that's not fair. I feel completely emasculated, you comparing me to a woman.' Nigel tucked a piece of hair behind Alexis's ear, and tried to make her look at him.

'A Canadian woman – though many Canadians don't like to accept that fact.' Alexis chuckled slightly, and said, 'You mean it?' She was still facing the floor, so the words were barely audible.

'Mean what?' Nigel asked, caressing her jaw lightly.

'Mean… this.'

'Hey,' Nigel said, pinching her chin and moving her to face him. 'Hey. Look at me.' She met his eyes, and he saw that she was close to tears. 'Oh, no, don't cry… Alexis…'

'It's been awhile, you know…'

Leaning down to be at eye level, Nigel muttered, 'Look, if Dr Macy finds you crying in my arms he just might fire me – and Bug just might kill me.' Alexis chuckled at his words, but averted her eyes again to try and hide the unfallen tears. 'Yes, I mean it. You know why? Because you're beautiful, smart, and excessively sweet, that's why.' A tear rolled down her cheek, and Nigel wiped it away with his thumb. 'Look at me, Alexis. Please?'

She looked up into Nigel's eyes, and she told him quietly, 'I want to trust you, Nigel, I really, really do.'

Nigel pulled her close to his chest, and told her quietly, 'I wish I could make it easier… but the only way is for you to try. Tell me-' He stopped, unable to guess her reaction. 'Tell me what happened to make you not be able to trust me… or, anyone, for that matter.'

Nigel held his breath, praying to whatever higher powers that might be listening that she wouldn't walk out, until, 'Okay. I'll… I'll tell you. But can we go somewhere else?' Though tears were falling freely now, she wasn't trying to hide them from him.

Thankful for the reaction, Nigel replied gently, 'I know the perfect place.'