Disclaimer: I don't own Law and Order Criminal Intent. I don't make money off these fanfics. I sure as hell wish I did though.
Author's notes: I was just...thinking, which is always a dangerous thing. My thoughts, current mood, the music I'm listening to has inspired this little drabble. I got it from one of the episodes where Goren and Eames are in an interrogation room with a suspect and Goren mentioned something about Eames' bad luck with guys. She said something along the lines of, "Yeah, married liars are my specialty." Anyway, enjoy.
"You are beautiful."
That was always how the first date started. Compliments and flowers, as well as other little charming gifts were plentiful on the first date. That's probably why she liked them so much. All the gentle words, the possible hand holding, the sweet smelling flowers and chocolates. She also loved how the guy would always seem so interested in her, wanting to absorb all the possible information. She had yet to learn though, that, that was a tell-tale sign they were hiding something.
"You look nice tonight."
The second date. Still charming, still nice. Maybe not a lot of flowers this time, but just a single rose. It's still romantic. He'd take her out on a nice little stroll through Central Park, before they settled down at a nice restaurant facing the moonlit river. They would talk in hushed tones, just to have a reason to lean closer to each other. Maybe this date would end with a peck on the cheeks, or if the guy is daring and things seem to be going well, a short kiss on the lips.
"I brought take-out."
And here comes the third date. Now, the third through about the 7th dates began to blur together. Actually, they stopped being actual dates. The guy would come over to her house, sometimes bringing food while other times expecting her to prepare the food. He'd start hanging around a bit more often, and would pay less attention to her. She lived with it though.
But then came the words that destroyed every relationship.
"Sorry, my wife found out about us...and I can't do this anymore."
It always happened like that. How was it that she always got stuck with the married liars? Was there some sort of odd aura around her, the caused the married men to break their vows? She didn't know, and didn't want to know. Finally, about three years into her partnership with Robert Goren, which was how she seemed to be measuring amounts of time lately, she had given up on dating altogether. There was no point in it, and her job took up enough of her time as it was.
These were all the things Detective Alexandra Eames thought about as she sat upon her plush couch, sipping the cold glass of scotch she had in her hands, surrounded only by darkness, since she hadn't bothered to turn on the light.
There had always been one man though, that had never really lied to her, and wasn't married. The man she was stuck with, and closer to than any of her previous boyfriends. Hell, if he wasn't her partner...
No use in thinking those thoughts. He was her partner, and there was nothing she could do about it. Even if he had feelings for her, it wouldn't work out. That was one of the unspoken rules. Two partners couldn't date each other. Whether they were both guys, both girls, or one girl and one guy. Dating your partner was a big 'no-no' in the police department. There were a few who seemed to be able to date their partner outside of work, without it carrying over. Like Mike Logan and Carolyn Barek.
It was obvious to Eames the moment she had seen the two in the park one evening, snuggled together on a park bench talking. She, of course, had stayed hidden away, but hadn't been the least bit shocked.
How could she? When she had feelings for her partner as well.
Yeah, feelings for Robert Goren, the human encyclopedia. She was aware he had girlfriends in the past, and she could only wonder why none of them had worked out. She had actually met one of them once...a nice, intelligent young woman who worked in advertising. That had been the last girlfriend Goren had ever spoken to her about, and she had an odd feeling she had been the last girlfriend Goren had after their partnership had started to look up.
Could that have been a sign?
Nah. She needed a bit more scotch before she could convince herself that her partner might have the same feelings as she did. Acting upon this thought, once she realized her glass was empty, she rose from the couch and padded into the kitchen. Quickly re-filling the glass, she retreated back out to the living room, bringing the bottle with her so she wouldn't have to get up again. Downing half the glass, and making a face, she set both glass and bottle on the coffee table, taking a seat on the couch again.
Now where had she been? Oh that's right, Goren, her partner.
She laughed softly to herself as she thought about the older detective. After five years of working together, he still called her 'Eames', even long after she had started calling him 'Bobby'. Was it just a hard habit for him to break? Or was he really just that impersonal...
No, there was no way he did it on purpose. Plus, he knew how to say her last name just right, so that it would send shivers down her spine. Whether he did it on purpose or not, would be left for another night when she, perhaps, had a bottle of vodka.
Closing her eyes and leaning her head back, her thoughts continued to drift as she practically daydreamed. What would she do if he were to show up right now? What would he do? She smelled faintly of alcohol, but it wasn't that strong. Though, she had a feeling he'd scold her for sitting in the dark, trying to drink away her thoughts and problems. And she'd be more than happy to tell him that she had failed at trying to drink away her thoughts, and was now just drinking for the fun of it. Also, if she was intoxicated, she could blame all these crazy, affectionate thoughts about her partner on the booze and the lack of male contact she had over the years.
Of course, her thoughts were interrupted by a soft rap at the door. Sighing audibly, and almost dramatically, she heaved herself up into a standing position. Straightening up the sweater she was wearing, and making sure the sweat pants she was wearing weren't going to fall off, she padded over to the door. Thanks to the fact she knew her apartment well, and had already gained her night eyes from sitting in the dark so long, she made it to the door without tripping over anything. Rising up onto her toes, she glanced through the peep hole, and almost froze.
Just outside was the subject of her thoughts, dressed in a dark blue long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. Both, were articles of clothing she rarely saw him in.
Lowering herself back onto the flats of her feet, her hand went to the door knob almost immediately, having planned on letting him in. She had second thoughts though, and allowed her hand to drop without touching the cold metal, taking a step back from the door.
She couldn't see him, not in the state she was. Not when all she wanted to do was jump his bones the moment he walked into the room like she knew he was going to.
So instead of opening the door, like normal, the petite detective retreated back to her couch, topped off her scotch and continued sipping. There was another knock, this one more timid than the one before it, before there was silence. A few feet away her phone rang...
And rang.
And rang.
And she ignored it, sitting on the couch, drinking her scotch. Finally, silence over-took the apartment, and she was home-free, left alone to think about her partner, and drink her scotch.
