AN: ENJOY ANOTHER DOUBLE RELEASE, MORE POWERSTONES.
---
Scarlett lay stretched out on the long leather sofa in Alex's office, the softest kind of sigh escaping her lips. Her hair was slightly damp from a quick rinse in her trailer. She wore only a black bra and matching panties, her body flushed from the long day on set. Her clothes were pooled on the floor nearby in a lazy heap.
Alex sat on the edge of the sofa, sleeves rolled up, hands working slowly over her calves and thighs with perfect pressure. No rush. Just him, focused entirely on her, his touch steady, familiar.
Scarlett let her head rest on the armrest, eyes closed.
"I think I pulled something during that last take," she murmured.
"You always say that," Alex replied, voice quiet, teasing. "I think it's just your excuse to get a massage."
"And it works every time."
He pressed his thumbs along a tense line behind her knee, and she let out a low, contented groan. Her fingers curled slightly, gripping the edge of the couch.
"That scene in the cargo bay wrecked me," she said. "I didn't think tension could live in my shoulders like that."
"You were holding your breath through the whole take," he said, gliding his hands up toward her lower back. "I could see it on the monitor."
She smiled faintly. "Well, someone decided to build a fully claustrophobic spaceship from scratch, so…"
Alex leaned forward and brushed a kiss just behind her shoulder blade. "And you decided to make Ripley terrifying in total silence."
"I learned from the best."
He didn't reply, just continued working his hands up her spine, kneading with more care than pressure.
Scarlett opened one eye, watching him for a beat. He doesn't look tired at all after all that work. Was he somehow hiding it? She wondered. She reached up and touched his arm gently.
"You ever take a break?" she asked.
He paused, looking at her.
"This is my break."
He leaned in and kissed her butt cheeks.
She smiled at that, and her hand lingered on his arm. "You don't have to take care of everyone all the time, you know."
Alex looked down at her for a long moment. "I want to."
"That's not the same thing."
He didn't argue. Just slid his hand up to her neck and brushed her hair aside. His thumb grazed the line of her jaw, tracing the soft curve there.
"You always go quiet when you're thinking too much," she whispered.
"And you always notice," he replied.
Scarlett turned, shifting onto her back slightly, and looked up at him. "That's the deal, isn't it? You see me on camera. I see you off it."
Alex smiled faintly. He leaned down, resting one hand against the armrest near her head. Their faces were close now, barely a breath between them.
She raised a hand and cupped his cheek, thumb grazing the edge of his stubble. "You know the film's gonna sweep, right?"
"I know."
"Then why do you still look like you're waiting for something to go wrong?"
He was quiet for a second.
"Because it always does," he said softly. "Eventually."
Scarlett tilted her head slightly, studying him. "Then maybe you're due a surprise. Maybe it all goes right this time."
His lips twitched like he wanted to believe that. Her hand dropped to his chest, fingers curling lightly into his shirt.
"This is the part where you say something optimistic and romantic," she teased.
Alex leaned down just enough that his forehead touched hers.
"I don't have to," he said. "You're lying half-naked in my office, letting me work the knots out of your legs. That's already more romantic than I'm used to."
She laughed under her breath. "God, your standards are tragic."
"They're evolving."
They stayed close like that for a while. No rush. No lines rehearsed. Just the quiet between them, filled with something warmer than words.
"You know, although your face looks ok, I can tell you are exhausted and need to lie down more than I do," she said.
Alex didn't argue. He stretched out beside her, the couch just wide enough to hold them both. She curled into him, her head resting on his chest, his arm around her back.
The office light stayed low. The city outside glowed faintly through the tall windows. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. They just stayed in each other's arms.
Then Scarlett's voice came soft and amused, "If someone knocks, you're explaining this to Rachel."
"I'll just tell her you passed out from emotional labor."
Scarlett grinned into his shirt. "Or you snapped under pressure and needed a cuddle emergency."
"She'll believe that."
Scarlett closed her eyes again. "And she might join in."
Alex kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Maybe later. I just want to spend some time with you alone for now."
She didn't answer.
Not out loud, anyway.
But her hand slipped into his, fingers weaving together, and she gave the smallest squeeze.
That said enough.
Scarlett looked up and kissed his chin first. Alex kissed the tip of her nose in return. Scarlett's nose wrinkled after his kiss, and her lips curled into a small smirk.
"That was very G-rated of you," she murmured, eyes still closed.
Alex raised a brow. "You're saying my nose kisses aren't sexy?"
"They're cute," she said, pretending to pout. "Like something you'd give your dog."
He leaned in again, brushing his lips over hers... soft and teasing. Then again, slower this time. His hand moved up, fingers cradling the side of her face as he kissed her properly, a little more depth, a little more pressure. He felt her melt into it, her body relaxing against his like it had found home.
When they pulled apart, Scarlett blinked up at him, a breath caught between surprise and satisfaction.
"Better," she bit her lower lip and then whispered.
Alex gave her that lopsided smile. "You always need proof, huh?"
"Of course. I'm an actress. Show me, don't tell me."
He leaned in again for another kiss, and this time she grinned halfway through it. Her hand slid under his shirt, palm warm on his side.
But then her fingers drifted lower. Not in any kind of seductive way, more like she was casually testing something.
"What are you doing?" Alex asked warily.
"Nothing," she said too innocently.
And then she dug two fingers lightly into his ribs.
He twitched.
Scarlett's grin widened.
"Don't..."
She did it again.
Alex jerked back slightly, laughing despite himself. "You really want to start this now?"
"Start what?" she said sweetly, poking his side again.
"You think just because I'm relaxed and kissing you that you've got the advantage?"
Scarlett nodded, smug. "Exactly."
He gave her one more warning look.
And then he moved.
Fast.
He flipped her easily, shifting their positions so she landed flat on her back with him hovering over her, hands already going to work. She shrieked as his fingers found her waist, the soft spot just under her ribs.
"No, no... Hey! Alex! Hahahaha!" she gasped, squirming under him, laughing too hard to fight properly. "That's cheating!"
"You started it," he said, grinning like a madman. "You poked the bear."
She twisted, giggling helplessly, kicking at the couch cushions. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I take it back!"
"You called my nose kiss a dog kiss. That's slander."
She tried to push him off, but her strength was no match for his steady hold and relentless fingers. He tickled her sides, her stomach, just enough to make her squirm without mercy.
"Okay, okay!" she gasped, breathless now. "Truce! I surrender! You're the king of all affection!"
He paused, hovering above her, face close again, his smile finally softening. "That's more like it."
She exhaled hard, still catching her breath, her hair a tousled mess against the couch.
"You're the worst," she muttered.
"You're the one who started a tickle war half-naked on my office couch."
"Yeah, well," Scarlett reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him down just enough to kiss him again, slow this time, "you make it easy to forget I'm supposed to behave."
Alex hummed against her lips. "Then don't."
And for the next few minutes, neither of them said a word.
Just quiet kisses, soft laughter, the occasional playful jab that threatened another round of tickling. But mostly peace.
The kind you don't get often when your name is on every screen in Hollywood.
The kind you don't fake for a camera.
Real. Simple.
Just them.
...
[At the same time...]
[LAPD, Homicide Division]
Detective Angela Lopez stood over the evidence board in her office, arms folded tight across her chest. Her eyes scanned the wall, covered in pinned photographs, red yarn, and printed names: five newspaper photographers. Six freelance celebrity paparazzi. Eleven total. All disappeared over the last few months.
No ransom. No communication. No demands. Just... gone.
Until now.
Lucy Chen stood nearby, glancing down at the report on the desk. "So we're sure this isn't just a bad coincidence?"
Lopez tapped a photo of the junkyard in Boyle Heights. "That was the first break. Two days ago, someone found human tissue under a crumpled Chrysler in the scrap pile. They called the NYPD, and they did their investigation. The report says the car was compacted, but they pulled a metal fragment with hair stuck to it."
"Hair?"
"Yeah. DNA came back fast. Matched Jason Winston. One of the missing."
Lucy frowned. "That's the guy who used to wait outside clubs, right? The one with the stupid fedora? I think he got records in our system for stalking charges and breaking in..."
Lopez nodded. "Yeah. Harassed half the industry with a camera and a grin. That grin's gone now."
Nolan walked in, holding two coffees. He handed one to Lucy, the other to Lopez.
"I just spoke to the M.E.," Nolan said, voice lower than usual. "It wasn't a clean job. The way that body was crushed… Looks like a personal grudge. Someone wanted him gone. Completely."
Lopez's jaw tightened. She stepped back, staring at the map pinned to the board. Red dots. Hollywood. Venice. Echo Park. Burbank.
"All over the city," she muttered. "Different days. Different times. Different people. But one thing in common..."
Lucy glanced at her. "They were all working the same beat."
"Exactly," Lopez said. "Entertainment. Celebrities. High-profile targets. They lived in the weeds. Chasing gossip, digging dirt. Last person Jason photographed was Alex Wilson."
"Alex Wilson?" Nolan asked.
Lucy shrugged. "Could be a coincidence. Could be nothing. Or..."
"Yeah, there's something. I asked around. Guess what?" Lopez leaned in. "Every single one of them has only one thing in common..." She pointed at the board, toward Alex Wilson's newspaper cutout photo. "They all stalked Alex Wilson, and seven of them disappeared the same day they went after him."
"You gotta be kidding me. You think...?" Nolan raised an eyebrow.
Lopez just smiled with a slight nod.
"That guy is untouchable. Take a look," Nolan took out his phone, Googled something, and handed the phone to Lopez.
"Shit!" Lopez cursed out loud. "You kidding me? He's the youngest man to become the world's fifth richest man... Ha!"
Lucy leaned closer, scanning the board, connecting dots in her head. "But how would someone like Alex Wilson even know guys like Winston? You think he got tired of being followed and went vigilante on us?"
Lopez shook her head. "No, he wouldn't get his hands dirty. Not directly. But a man with that kind of money? He doesn't need to lift a finger. All he needs is someone who owes him, or someone he pays enough to not ask questions."
Nolan crossed his arms, quiet for a beat. "Or someone who just really, really believes in protecting him. But you really think a celebrity like him would run from fame and kill some paps... for what?"
Lopez turned to reply, but her office phone rang sharply, cutting through the room.
She picked it up. "Lopez."
The voice on the other end was clipped and formal. "Lieutenant Grey wants to see you. Now."
She exchanged a quick look with Lucy and Nolan. No one spoke. She hung up and grabbed her badge off the desk.
"Back in five. Don't touch anything."
She stepped out, walking briskly down the corridor.
Grey's office was at the end of the hall. The blinds were drawn tight, and the door was already half open when she got there. She knocked once before stepping inside.
"Sir?"
Lieutenant Grey stood behind his desk, jaw tense, hands braced on the wood like it was the only thing anchoring him.
"Close the door."
Lopez did. The click sounded louder than it should have.
Grey didn't sit. He just looked at her for a long second before speaking.
"You need to drop the missing persons investigation."
Lopez blinked. "What?"
"I'm telling you to shelve it. Case is closed."
"No, sir, with all due respect, we've just made a breakthrough. The DNA from the junkyard..."
"I read the report."
"Then you know we've got a match. Jason Winston. That's enough to escalate to homicide."
Grey's jaw ticked. "Doesn't matter."
"The hell it doesn't! Eleven people don't vanish in like 4-5 months without a damn good reason, and I've got lines on all of them. All of them had ties to one man."
"I'm aware."
"Then why?"
"Because this comes from upstairs."
Lopez froze. "How far upstairs?"
Grey looked away for a moment. Then back at her, face grim. "Governor's office. Maybe higher."
"You're kidding."
"I wish I was."
"Sir, that's obstruction. This is evidence suppression, maybe conspiracy if..."
He cut her off with a raised hand. "Angela. I'm not arguing with you. I'm giving you an order. You walk away from this."
"No," she said, straightening. "Not without a real reason."
Grey exhaled. "You're good at your job. One of the best. But sometimes being good isn't enough. Sometimes you have to be smart."
"So I'm supposed to be smart and let a potential serial disappearer go free because he's rich?"
"This isn't about Wilson," Gery sighed as he sat on his chair, rubbing his forehead.
"Then who?" She asked.
"Let's just say... Someone dangerous enough to make the guy above us tremble. Sorry, detective. I can't say anything more about this," He replied.
"That's not justice."
Grey's voice dropped. "It's survival."
Lopez's mouth opened. Then closed. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.
She took a slow breath.
"When does it end then? When we stop investigating whoever the hell is powerful enough to scare the city into silence? When we all roll over and let them rewrite the rules?"
Grey didn't answer. He just looked tired. Defeated.
"I didn't say you have to like it," he said finally. "But you'll do it. Because if you don't, they'll replace you with someone who will. And if you dig deeper, they won't just pull your badge."
Lopez narrowed her eyes. "Are you threatening me, Lieutenant?"
He met her gaze. "You know me long enough to know how I work. But this time, things aren't looking good for any of us. You keep digging, you'll not only put yourself in danger but also the entire department. So, calm down, don't do anything hasty. Let me make some calls, and I'll get back to you soon. Till then, no more investigation. Clear?"
"Crystal."
She held it for a long moment. Then turned and left.
The hallway felt colder now. The walls tighter.
Back in her office, Nolan and Lucy looked up as she stepped in.
"Well?" Nolan asked.
Lopez didn't speak. She just walked to the board, stared at the photo of Alex Wilson in the corner, and ripped it down.
Then she tossed it into the shredder.
Lucy's eyes widened. "Seriously? We're just… done?"
Lopez's voice was low. "Officially, yes. Unofficially… we keep everything off-book."
Nolan nodded slowly. "You sure?"
"He says things are too dangerous and Alex Wilson might not be involved, but someone else. I'm not dropping this. Not yet. We go quiet. No emails. No internal files. Paper only. We'll investigate everything properly. If he's clean, we walk and find this other dangerous person. If not…" She looked back at the shredded paper. "We bring it all down."
"We'll need cooperation from someone in NYPD, then," Nolan said after thinking for a moment.
"Chloe Decker," Lucy said in a low voice.
----[DON'T ASK WHICH SEASON: Think of it as AU. But I'll try to maintain their characters.]----
[POWERSTONES AND REVIEWS PLS]-
Support link: www.patr eon.com/UnknownMaster
[6 advance chs] + [17 chs of Two and a Half Men: Waking up as Charlie Harper] [All chs available for all tiers]
--