Arching her back, Alex rolled onto her back and pointed her toes, stretching her deliciously sleep-softened muscles. She hadn't slept like this in months. No, they hadn't slept like this in months, so soundly and for so long. Yawning widely, she grinned at the quiet tip-tap from the floor on Olivia's side of the bed. Apparently, Alex wasn't the only one already stirring. She stretched out her hand and rubbed her palm over Blondie's smooth-coated back. The dog danced a little under her hand. Alex sighed. Continued comfort would have to wait; someone had to pee.

Creeping carefully out of bed, Alex shivered and she reached hurriedly for her robe. There was a definite chill in the usually warm apartment's air this morning. She made a mental note to check the thermostat as she wriggled into a pair of jeans. Closing the bedroom door silently, Alex jammed her already chilly feet into a pair of thick socks as she hopped awkwardly down the hall to the kitchen. At least there would be coffee by the time she and Blondie made it down to the street and back. She clicked the button of her prepared coffee pot and frowned. Jiggling the plug in the socket, she clicked it off and back on again. Nothing. Of course.

A goddamn blizzard in the middle of October, she mused with irritation. They had only just managed to skitter their way back from Sam's the previous night, ending up soaking under the shower's hot spray to thaw out their frozen fingers and toes. And now there was no power. And no coffee. Stuffing her arms into her heavy coat and wrapping it tightly around herself, Alex stuffed her pocket with a few small bills and clipped the lead onto Blondie's collar. She had to go out anyway. Maybe the power hadn't been out too long and maybe the bodega down the block might have managed to brew a pot of coffee beforehand.

XXXXXXXX

Practically juggling her coffee and sacks of goodies, Alex let herself back in, yelping whispered orders for Blondie to sit and stay before the entire apartment became spotted with slushy paw-prints. Dumping her purchases on the kitchen counter, she snatched a dishtowel and mopped the melting snow first from the dog's coat and then from her own hair. Already the snow was almost a foot deep and it was still coming down in heavy gusts. The power was out in blotches all over the city and utility crews, despite coming out in full force, were struggling to keep up with the repairs. All in all, with the impossible amount of snow and downed tree limbs on every corner, it looked like Manhattan was going to be shut down for the foreseeable future.

Well, at least Alex had had one stroke of good luck. By some miracle, the resourceful bodega-owner had a portable gas-fueled burner behind the counter and had just brewed a veritable vat of strong, hot coffee. Scrounging together the change in her pockets, Alex had bought as much as she could carry. If she and Olivia were going to be stuck, she wasn't going to risk being stuck without coffee. Shucking her drippy outerwear, Alex gathered up her goodies and headed back towards the bedroom. She had risked life and limb to care for Olivia's dog and find Olivia her beloved coffee. It was time for Alex to get her due: warmth and appreciation.

The moment Alex opened the bedroom door, Olivia's eyes popped open and she greeted her girlfriend with a sleepy smile. Sitting half upright, she yawned and patted the mattress near her feet. As Blondie hopped up and curled into a ball, Olivia rubbed the dog's still-damp ears absentmindedly. She blinked at Alex. "You went out? In this?" She gestured vaguely at the heavy snowflakes slapping wetly against the window.

Depositing her plastic sacks on the comforter and the coffee cups on the nightstand, Alex huffed self-importantly. "Well someone had to. A certain someone's dog had to go sniff a fire hydrant and a certain someone was sleeping like a rock." Peeling her clothes off in favor of a fresh set of warm flannels, Alex winked at her girlfriend. Slipping between the blessedly cozy sheets, she kissed Olivia on the cheek. "Also, in case you're interested, that same someone has developed quite a habit of snoring."

Olivia chuckled and took the offered coffee, leaning her shoulders against the headboard and opening her arms to invite Alex to snuggle against her chest. She sipped her coffee, sighing at the simple pleasure, and nuzzled her cheek sedately against Alex's snow-wet hair. "Aw, I'm sorry, sweetheart. Did I keep you up?"

Sipping away herself, Alex shook her head and dragged the dog-weighted blankets up towards her shoulders. "No, I don't mind. It's kind of cute actually. It's kind of like…" Grinning slyly, she mimicked an exaggerated snore, filling the dim room with an obnoxious imitation of a hopelessly clogged sewer. Without looking, Alex sensed Olivia's exasperated eye-roll. Even Blondie lifted her head and pricked her ears in surprised curiosity.

"Thanks a lot, Icicles. Now, either show me what's in those bags or take your cold feet back to your side of the bed."

Extracting her arm reluctantly from the covers, Alex tugged the sacks onto Olivia's lap and buried herself even deeper under the comforter. "See for yourself. I only had enough cash on me for the coffee but Kwon was nice enough to send some supplies back with me on credit. For some reason, he insists that he trusts you. Must be the badge. Or maybe that pretty face of yours." Tilting her chin up, Alex asked silently for a kiss but was disappointed. Pouting in a particularly undignified manner, she set her coffee aside and sneaked her cold hands under her girlfriend's pajama top, seeking warm flesh and making Olivia jump.

Olivia hummed appreciatively as she rifled through the sacks, flipping through glossy gossip rags, crinkly packages of salty snacks and quite the stack of chocolate candy. Squirming away from the cold fingers tickling her waist, she shot Alex a sidelong glance. "Planning on gaining some weight, Willy Wonka? I can't remember the last time I saw you eat a candy bar."

"Maybe. Maybe I'm planning on fattening you up." She shifted in mock discomfort. "You make a very bony pillow. "The weatherman on KCBM said that this storm is not letting up and we could be here a while. I thought we could put that time to good use, say… have you gain a solid pound for every inch that falls?"

Harrumphing, Olivia withdrew a small, white paper bag and peered inside. Instantly, despite her indignation, her face brightened with glee. "Oho," she crooned, grinning. "If that's the case, you won't mind me eating the only chocolate-glazed then." Holding up the greasy pastry, she savored the sweet aroma with exaggerated enjoyment before taking a large bite.

Snickering, Alex nibbled on the delicate skin of her girlfriend's neck. "And when that donut goes straight to your thighs, you won't mind me eating you."

Swallowing, Olivia held out the donut for Alex to take a bite. "To shut you up," she said pointedly.

Enjoying her chocolaty treat, Alex settled back down as Olivia continued to nosh. She let her fingers crawl upwards, over her girlfriend's stomach and between her breasts until she could press her palm over Olivia's heart. "Liv?"

Olivia hummed, her mouth full.

"I'm proud of you." Under her flat hand, Alex could feel the motions of Olivia swallowing. She could hear her girlfriend sucking the last bit of chocolate frosting from her fingertips, an obvious effort to buy some time to adjust to the suddenly changed mood.

"For what?" Olivia finally managed softly.

"For last night. I don't… I don't think I could have gone back… there."

Olivia chuckled consolingly, abandoning her coffee and squeezing her girlfriend tight to her chest. "Please," she said with a hint of disparagement. "You always say things like that and make me feel like some kind of martyr. It's embarrassing. Besides, you came back from Wisconsin. That took balls."

"That was different. I had to come back for you."

"So, not only am I a saint but I'm also responsible for you risking your life by coming back."

Alex sat up sharply, pulling free of Olivia's arms and staring her down. "Olivia, stop it. You know what I'm saying."

Olivia met her gaze, equally stubborn. "And you know what I'm saying. I'm… proud of you too." She narrowed her eyes for a moment before the tic at the corner of her lips stretched into a real smile. Reaching out, she tugged her weakly resistant girlfriend back into her embrace. She threaded her fingers in long, pale hair. "Okay, I think we've made our points here. Let's just relax and have another donut, huh?"

Snaking her arm around the small of Olivia's back, Alex reached for the white paper bag with her free hand. "Agreed." Selecting a second donut, Alex offered Olivia the first bite. "Here. To shut us both up." She too took a bite and, smiling as she munched, laid her head on Olivia's shoulder. Maybe, if she was lucky, the storm would last all week.