Madison, it turns out, seemed to have a natural gift for the type of dancing needed to be done. It only took her a few two hour lessons to learn everything she needed for working at the club. So far she had managed to get back before Chris every time but she wasn’t sure how long that was going to last.

“You say you just gotta call in and then you can basically just go into work whenever right?” Chris asked a few days after Madison had gotten the job. He had to work every day after that so she was able to learn everything more quickly then she expected.

“Umm…yeah.” Madison said. She was sitting on his lap on the couch in his bedroom while Chris read a magazine. Madison was busy drawing an intricate design on Chris’ forearm with a fine point black marker.

“So if I told you I’d have to work for about five hours tomorrow, you could stay at work longer then that?” Chris asked.

“Umm…why?” Madison asked.

“It’s not that I don’t love seeing you when I get home everyday…I really do.” Chris said. “But I got a surprise idea for you. Kinda like an early Christmas present.” Christmas was in a little over a week and a half away and Madison hoped to get enough money, either in pay or in tips by then, to get Chris something nice.

“Oh?” Madison asked. “Will I like this surprise?”

“I hope you will.” Chris said. “Here’s something…do you like this?” He pulled her head back slightly and kissed her. Madison almost instantly moaned. The kiss turned intense and passionate within a few seconds and soon the marker and magazine were on the floor and Madison was lying on the couch. Chris pulled away to look at her.

“Uh…what was the question again?” Madison asked, blinking.

“Did you like that?” Chris asked, smiling. Madison smiled and nodded. “Then I’m pretty sure you’ll like my surprise.”

“Is it a lot of kisses?” Madison asked.

“Something like that.” Chris said.

“Oh…” Madison said, slowly realizing what he might be talking about. She was expressionless for a minute but then smiled a real smile, which made Chris relax. He picked up the marker and magazine and they resumed their original position until Madison finished the ‘tattoo’. She then got up to go and make dinner. She wanted to try making stir fry because she had told Chris that a co-worker (Bella) had told her it was good and she had found an easy recipe on his laptop. Chris finished the article he was reading before going into the kitchen, going up behind Madison and wrapping his arms around her before looking over her shoulder.

“What would I do without you and your ability to cook?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know. You managed it for a while didn’t you?” Madison asked.

“Actually up until about a year and a half ago, I lived with Don.” Chris said. Then I couldn’t keep hiding the guns and things so I got this place. He thought…but of course didn’t say it. He still felt that it was bad enough that Madison had seen the one murder and he just barely covered it up as a ‘self-defense’ kill.

“Ooooh.” Madison said. Chris placed a light kiss on her neck before stepping away from her and getting a beer bottle from the fridge.

The next day Madison went to The Body Shopfive minutes after Chris left. This would be her first day on stage and, even though she should be nervous, surprisingly enough she wasn’t. Maybe after all those years with Jacob she really had no problem with letting dirty old men and even dirtier younger men staring at her as she danced in close to nothing.

“They’re gonna love you.” Bella said.

“Hmm…” Madison said, absently.

“What’s up?” Bella asked.

“Oh…just trying to figure out what this surprise is my roommate has planned.” Madison said.

“It’s a guy right?” Bella asked. Madison nodded. “Well…are you really that naive to not know?” Madison shrugged. “Maybe he has something…special planned?” Again, Madison didn’t answer. She didn’t focus too much on work. Her mind alternating between what Chris could have planned and the dance moves she was doing.

In the end she got almost two hundred in tips. Working for six hours meant that she gave Chris an hour to prepare. She planned to give him more because she planned to walk slowly home and enjoy the snow. Madison loved snow. Sure it was cold but it was beautiful and amazing to watch fall. When she was younger she’d stand outside in the middle of the big open field near her house and just watch it fall for long periods of time…listening. There wasn’t much noise from it falling or even from the slight wind that blew it around but she still listened. It was the only time in the last few years when she felt comfortable.

So by the time she got home, she was covered in snow. Her face was red from the cold and she was shivering slightly but was otherwise happy. Happiness turned to curiosity when she saw that everything was dark inside the apartment. She wondered if Chris had gotten home yet until she saw a light coming from the bedroom. She took off her jacket and shoes before slowly walking towards the bedroom and shaking her head to get the snow off.

“Chris?” Madison muttered, pushing open the bedroom door to see him lying on the bed and reading a book. The lamp by the bed was on and there were lit candles everywhere. Chris looked up at her.

“Hey…thought you got lost.” He said, closing the book and sitting up.

“It’s snowing.” Madison said. “I…like snow.” Chris walked over to her. “Besides…didn’t know how much time you wanted to prepare your…surprise.”

“I was done it about half an hour ago.” Chris said.

“Oh.” Madison said. “Maybe I should have walked faster then.”

“Maybe…” Chris said. He got up and walked over to her. He reached up and brushed snow off her head.

“Do I want to know what’s going on inside that mind of yours?” Madison asked. “Because I’ve had a little chat with one of the girls I work with…she thinks I’m naive for not knowing.”

“Does she now?” Chris asked. “And who is this girl?”

“No one special.” Madison said. Chris raised an eyebrow but soon forgot about it as Madison kissed him. “So what’s my surprise?”

“I think we should sit down.” Chris said. Madison blinked but followed him over to the bed. He sat down and she automatically sat on his lap.

“What’s up?” Madison asked, running a finger over the lines of the tattoo she had drawn the other day.

“I need to tell you and ask you something before we do anything.” Chris said. Madison looked at him and bit her lower lip gently, wondering what it is he wanted.

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A/N: Ooooh I know this is short and there’s not a whole lot in it and it’s been a while but I wanted to do a cliffhanger and I’m really tired right now. I swear I’ll update sooner.