Disclaimer:All of the characters are the property of Dick Wolf. I thank him, the writers, the directors and all the great actors who brought them "to life" for our benefit. Any "liberties" I have taken with them is motivated only by my fond admiration.
AN: This story is not set entirely within the accepted "canon" or strictly within the "storyline" for the characters as it is only officially portrayed by the TV series.
I know I said "A Foreign Country" would probably be the last in this series but this idea has been rattling round in my head for a long time...and having separated Goren and Eames I thought I should bring them back together for one last time...probably...maybe...
OTHER SINS ONLY SPEAK
Saturday 12th December
Vestry St, Soho, Manhattan
Alex Eames kicked off her shoes with a sigh of relief that went down her aching legs, through her sore feet and all the way to her toes which had been protesting their confinement for several hours
"It really was a lovely wedding wasn't it?"
She turned at a noise behind her to see Jack McCoy negotiating the doorpost with a little difficulty.
"Yesh it wash"
Alex watched him make two attempts to get hold of their apartment door handle wasn't unusually small or trying to escape down the hallway. It shut with the overloud bang so often occured when the person closing it was having a little difficulty with their hand/eye co-ordination and their balance. It was his own fault of course. Nobody was forcing that expensive single malt down his throat at the end. But he wasn't alone and his co-conspirators had included Danny Ross her former boss, the bride's father, who was after all paying for the whole thing and one of her brothers. Even Mike Logan had the sense to stop after one, but then he had Ellie with him and perhaps felt the need to set a paternal example.
"I'll make some coffee" she muttered leaving her fiancé befuddled at the bedroom door.
Saying "Whersh my tie?" and raking through various pockets for the garment he'd removed some hours ago. She knew it was in her purse but she'd let him conclude he'd lost it and have the guilt trip because it was one she bought him. Before she told him.
In the kitchen, she set about making coffee as she looked back on the event which had sufficient elements of tradition to make it a "proper" wedding for two people doing it for the first time but was also very personal. Reflecting that neither of them were kids, that it was their solemn commitment not just a social occasion and the inclusion of a Catholic priest and a Rabbi as well as a Judge to do the legal part, covered most bases. Nor were the happy couple the first to "do things backwards" as her own mother would say. Their six month old son sat with his Nanna sucking his fingers through most of the proceedings and only squawked once.
When the new Mr and Mrs Robert Goren turned to leave and he was maybe hoping for a little parental attention. He didn't get it for a while and Alex knew if he had his own way, her former partner would have had that ring on his finger and one on Caro's long before Joel was born. But she had always taken his now wife's side on that one. It was Bobby who proposed "baby" before he formally proposed "marriage" and the fact the first happened so quickly and before he got around to the second, was a consequence he'd had to live with. And only a man would struggle to understand why a woman might not want to look obviously pregnant on her wedding day or still be nursing his baby between the speeches and cutting the cake.
A series of noises from across the hall, including the sound of something, probably Jack, landing heavily on their bed told Alex a struggle of another sort was in progress. That of a man had too much to drink getting in a tangle with the furniture and his clothes. It was not like he did it that often and it they had not especially celebrated his re-election to the office of District Attorney a few weeks ago. A much wider margin this time was something of a vote of confidence but it had still meant several weeks for them both that were exhausting. Hardly seemed to see each other at all as between "the day jobs" Jack was out giving speeches and she was acting as a part-time campaign worker. The only times they were together felt like the occasional breakfast and the limited number of campaign events she accompanied him to.
"Shtill didn't find my tie" Jack suddenly announced as Alex was musing on how nervous Bobby was as he took his vows.
Never did like speaking in front of large groups and the few months he had been instructing at the Academy did not seem to have cured that problem yet. She glanced at McCoy who could well have that sweater on back to front.
"Had trouble finding your zipper too by the looks of things" she observed turning to the coffee pot.
St. Luke's Place, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Everyone involved had done their best to make their wedding day special but the wedding night was down to the two of you. Dr Caroline Goren, as she now had been for some hours, had already concluded the time and financial investment in suitable lingerie was worth it. Worth it for the look on Rob's face and doubly worth it for the way he'd finally divested her of it. Always was a quick study with most things but it was his lingering inventiveness she had enjoyed...correction...was enjoying the most. Only question now was for which of them the touching and teasing would become uncomfortable torment first.
The next kiss, the change in his breathing and a shift of his body half under hers suggested he'd reached that point. But just as he opened his mouth by her ear there was a sound from the monitor on the nightstand. Enough, even now to freeze them in time as they listened.
"I said we should have left him with my parents" she sighed.
"I know but he's gotten more cranky all day and..." Goren paused as Joel made an experimental kind of wail.
"His tooth or maybe just all out of routine?"
Caro waited for the second cry was more energetic.
"Like I care if they got no sleep with him all night?" she muttered.
In the silence that followed and hopeful once again, it was a case of "as you were" with lips and fingertips.
Then Joel went into top gear. Full volume, insistent bawling you would not need a listening device to detect. You would hear him in the basement kitchen two floors below and with the TV on. As babies go he'd been pretty "easy" compared to some. Everyone told them so and they both knew by now that when he cried like that he genuinely needed something more than to hear the sound of his own voice.
"I'll go Caro"
She didn't argue as he half rolled off her, untangled himself from some item of lingerie, got out of bed and headed for the door with as much dignity as it's possible for a guy to muster in that situation. Correction...as much dignity as he is left able to muster. The few occasions it had happened before had proved his son crying like that had the same effect as a bucket of ice to Daddy's groin.
Caro found another piece of lingerie as she snuggled to keep warm.
"Typical" she said tossing it aside and as his father's presence in his room instantly silenced Joel.
She listened to Rob's voice quiet and soothing as he checked him out. Was like that for him nine times out of ten, whereas if she had gone, nine times out of ten their son would have continued yelling as if to punish Mommy for not be psychic to anticipate his needs or taking ten seconds too long to respond. He must have only been about three weeks old when that started. Got so if she was feeding him when Rob came home, he dare not say a word. Otherwise and no matter how hungry he seemed, Joel would just lose interest in nursing the moment he heard his voice. Until he had enough fuss from the hunter returned home or realised Daddy couldn't deal with the renewed rumbling in his tummy.
Sort of thing might make you resentful if Rob had not done his share of the messy end and dealt with as much of the night feed routine as nature permitted him. Often letting her sleep while he took Joel downstairs to heat milk and change a diaper. Caro always knew he'd deal with that side of things with that organised efficiency could be so irritating at times. But she knew his deepest concerns about parenting were never really about this stage. Trouble with being a psychologist she supposed.
The "problem" if there turned out to be one, would come as Joel developed his own sense of self and his own personality began to evolve. That would be the time when Rob would need re-assurance he was getting it right more often than he was getting it wrong. And when Joel might need her to prevent his father from over-compensating for the chaos and insecurity of his own childhood.
She listened to the sound of bubbles being blown, cooing and babbling. And that was just Daddy.
Sunday 13th December
Vestry Street
There were many things about Jack McCoy which Alex Eames loved but two of them were simple. When he was intoxicated, his almost certain to be futile attempts at ardour were brief before he fell asleep. And he was never grumpy and hung over the next day. Was up first and cooking breakfast as she was the one still in a bathrobe, unfocussed and yawning at the table.
"What was that?"
"I said" he turned from flipping pancakes "Now Bobby and Caro's wedding is over we should seriously think about dates for our own"
"I guess so"
"Don't sound so keen will you Al?" he growled
"It's not that Jack. It's how to do it. And if you give me a summary of the law in New York State I'll hit you with that pan"
"I won't" his tone was gentle "I get it. I really do. I've been there twice before, you once and even though you...you were not..."
She gave him a little smile "I was widowed Jack. It's okay to say the word. Same as we know you ended up in the divorce courts twice"
McCoy slid the pancakes onto the plates, picked them up and sat down.
"When really does depend on how I think" he reached for the maple syrup.
"Keep it as simple as possible and it could be before Christmas. Something like yesterday would take more time to organise. Any more than that and we would be talking months. Summertime even"
"I get the feeling you don't much care how it is Jack"
"Truth? No I don't, though I doubt you want all the bells and whistles"
Alex made an odd sound as she swallowed "No. Spring might be nice"
"That's a start anyhow"
St. Luke's Place
"...which means if you could get some leave at that time we could all go out to LA...maybe stay with Amy and John for a couple of days and then have some time just for ourselves...delayed honeymoon kind of..."
Goren glanced over at his wife strongly suspecting she had all this worked out the moment she received the programme for some national conference a few days ago. The trouble was he could find no fault with the idea and felt he ought to just punish her a little for falling asleep while he was dealing with Joel last night. He'd returned a little cold by then, with his half of the bed littered with items of a flimsy nature and her back turned firmly towards him.
"I might even be able to get some funding from Bellevue to cover some of my costs" she said trying to make the prospect more appealing.
"That's not really the issue Caro"
"So what is? There isn't one is there Rob?" her eyes narrowed "You're just sulking because I was asleep when you came back to bed"
"Am not" he was trying hard not to smile "But I may just file for an annulment tomorrow. Non consummation...ouch!"
He'd not seen the rubber duck coming or realised it was the end of the bath where she was perched on the edge. And with Joel sitting on his right thigh, his options for avoiding it were limited.
"Yes okay. It's a brilliant idea Caro. All your ideas are my love. Now take him so I can get out please"
"Aaaargh!" Goren howled for real this time.
As he went to pass the baby to her, Joel, who had already showed signs of inheriting his left handedness, used exactly that hand to grab hold of a part of him. With a grip both strong and determined in one so young.
"Oh dear Joel" said Caro as she swaddled their son in a warm towel
"Forget consummation. Do that too often to Daddy and you'll never have a brother or sister"
To be continued...
AN:It would take forever (or a lot of footnotes) to summarise how everyone reached this point in their lives or explain some characters who will re-appear from previous episodes but they were, in chronological order: "A Wide Open Country", "A Friend Of Mine", "Encore For Adrasteia", "Death's Eternal Cold, "A Foreign Country".