Da · Bomb · Creations

Title: Anniversary
Fandom: Law & Order: CI
Character(s): James Deakins (w/ Alexandra Eames)
20_est_relships Prompt: 15. Reflections
25_crimes Set/Theme: CI/23. Faith
100moods Prompt: 068. Nostalgic
au100 Promp: 085. Missing
fanfic100 Prompt: 065. Passing
lover100 Table/Prompt: B/053. Haunted
over_look Set/Prompt: 08. After
philosophy_20 Prompt: 08. Faith
psych_30 Prompt: 27. Catharsis
smut_69 Prompt: 33. Cuddle
Word Count: 437
Rating: R/M/FRM
Summary: He'd been so busy, he'd missed the date.
Warnings: Past Character Death

Tables


He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. She was asleep next to him, her head tucked into the junction of his shoulder and his neck. She fallen asleep just after they'd both gotten home, worn out from her day of actually working. His day had proven far more uneventful, another ten hours passed on the phone and working through his never diminishing stack of paperwork.

She'd dragged him back to the bedroom as soon as they were through the door. He'd been surprised, not really expecting anything involving their bed after she'd taken a long nap on the couch and he'd cooked dinner. When she stopped him and pulled him into a hug, he wrapped his arms around her and smiled into her hair.

Her insistence that he remove his shoes and his shirt, but nothing else, brought a raised eyebrow but otherwise quiet compliance. Then she pulled him into the bed and curled up next to him. She fell asleep hugging him tightly, leaving him to wonder about what was wrong.

As he lay there, unable to sleep because of his worry for her, he finally remembered the date. It had been ten years since her husband's death and five years since she'd found her way into his bed. When the realization dawned on him, he turned and kissed her hair, bringing a sleepy whimper from her.

Five years. He couldn't believe it. It hadn't even been intentional. They'd both been drunk and working through their own personal issues. They'd just happened to pick the same bar to do it in. They'd danced, they'd kissed and she'd invited him back to her place. He'd gone willingly, eager for something to quench the emptiness that had driven him to the bar in the first place.

In the beginning, it had been an off and on thing, one or the other calling to make the invitation. When he realized he loved her, he asked her to move in with him. It took her another year to say yes. The day she moved in, he took a transfer upstairs, taking him out of her chain of command.

Occasionally, one of them would bring up marriage. But it never went past the idea. Both of them had become burned out on the entire idea and were happy to live in sin. His daughters had taken to Alex easily and she to them. They acted like a family whenever the girls visited. They were happy. Which was how he'd forgotten the date.

With a sigh, he smiled faintly and kissed her hair again before whispering softly.

"Happy anniversary, Alexandra."