Author's Notes: So I've actually had this tag written for a while, I just never posted it because it would be out of canon and I like the idea that the previous 2 chapters could have happened and not been shown on the show. And then I thought to hell with it and posted it anyways.


Smoke & Fire 3

Mike and Paige sit alone in Paige's room discussing Briggs. Mike is relieved to finally have someone he trusts to talk to about this. The other day at the hospital he thought Paige would never forgive him. That he'd lost her forever. The other morning when he had gotten back to the house had been horrible, after she'd stormed up the steps, he had followed her. He cringed at the memory.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. In fact, don't even talk to me Mike," Paige snaps, "and go to bed. You look like shit."

"I got it." Mike says, "So, this is how things are going to be now? With us?"

"There is no 'us' Mike. I have to go. I can't even look at you right now."

"Paige, I don't want things between us to-"

"Yeah, well given all that's happened, I don't really give a damn what you want right now, Mike." Paige growled, grabbing her purse and storming towards the doorway he was blocking. "Now go lie down. You really do look awful."

He stepped to the side to let her pass and she stormed by him, being careful not to bump him.

Luckily, after he'd shown her the drawing he made as child and told her about Briggs's heroin addiction, she'd seemed to have calmed down. Since then, she'd constantly been pulling him aside to talk about Briggs, but there had been no mention of the status of his and Paige's relationship, his superhero boxer shorts, or whether she would still want to get breakfast.

"They think there's something going on with us. They're already wondering what we're doing in here. We might as well give them a show." Mike grins, lying on her bed, trying to bring up the topic of "us" in the most light way possible.

"You're still injured. With all the stupid antics you put your body through, those stitches look ready to burst. I don't want to have to explain why you exploded in my bed." Paige said in her normal smart alec way.

"God, you even make bleeding out sound sexy." Mike leans in to kiss her.

"Mike, you have to rest." She pushes him lightly away with a hand on his shoulder.

"I really don't. It's just a scratch. I'll be fine. I've just been milking it for the attention." Mike promises, leaning back in. He desperately wants to kiss her. Even with the injury, Briggs, the bounce house, and all the house drama, kissing her again has been the only thing on his mind recently.

"Liar." She doesn't think before she says it. It comes out harshly and is followed by silence. The word hangs in the air between them as he looks at her with hurt eyes.

"You know, I think I will go lie down for a while." Mike says, gingerly rising off her bed.

"Mikeā€¦" She tries to stop him, realizing she's hurt his feelings.

Mike pauses in her doorway.

"You think you don't know me anymore, but you do. Yes, I lied to you about why I was placed here, Paige, but the rest was all real." Mike says softly. Turning to look over his shoulder he promises. "Just know, as of this moment, you officially know me better than anyone else in the world."

When she doesn't reply, he turns and walks sadly out the door, heading back to his room.

It's convenient that he never unpacked his suitcase, but it leaves him very little to do but sit on the bed and stair forlornly at the wall.

"So I have a question."

Mike turns to see Paige leaning in his doorway.

"I certainly owe you that. You can ask me anything." He sighs. It doesn't matter much now. He's lost her. He braces himself for all the possible questions she might have. How could he lie to her, how did he live with himself, if he'd just slept with her as a trick...

"How is it you're the lowest on the totem pole and you managed to get your own bathroom while the rest of us are sharing?" Paige grins. This was certainly wasn't what he was expecting.

Mike smiles weakly at her. "When I leave, I'll make sure to nominate you to have my room."

"You're leaving now?" He tries to read what's hiding in her voice, but he can't.

"Not now, but the Briggs investigation should be wrapping up soon once we find out what happened to Juan, and once my investigation is over, there isn't really any reason for me to stay."

"You want to go back to DC?" Paige asks.

"I think maybe it would be best for everyone if I did." Mike admits sadly.

"Not for me."

"Really?" Mike can't bring himself to look up in her eyes. Can't let himself hope.

"Of course." She answers sincerely, and Mike believes her. He knows she still cares about him as a friend, but he doesn't know if that's enough for him anymore.

"Look I don't want to be 'that guy', but I've got to be honest. After what happened between us, I don't know if I could be just friends with you." Mike admits to her. "And I know that makes me sound like a dick, and I'm sorry, but I want more. It's killing me Paige."

"Who said we need to be just friends?" Paige asks.

"I thought that door was closed after you found out the truth." Mike says sadly, not wanting to remind her of that awful moment. "About why I'm here."

"I didn't find out. You told me. There's a difference."

"You still got pretty mad."

"Yes, I did." Paige is not revealing much here.

"I hoped that once I explained, we could move past this, but we haven't really...touched since." Mike knows he's coming off as such a jerk. He doesn't mean to sound like such a dirtbag, but he needs that physical connection with her. It doesn't even have to be sex. He just wants to hold her. To have her mouth back on his.

"You've been injured. I don't want to break you." She says simply. Realizing that he thought she was rejecting him she gives him a playful look and says, "You know for a smart guy, you're kind of stupid."

"So I've been told." Mike smiles softly, still not completely believing her.

Any doubt in Mikes mind is erased when she pins him to his bed and kisses him firmly on the mouth.

"Ow!" He hisses, clutching his side in pain from the sudden movement and the weight of her on top of him.

"Shut up you pansy. It's just a scratch." She grins, against his lips.