RECOVERY

Chapter ONE

"Good job, both of you," Ross said as Alex and Bobby emerged from the interrogation room. "I'll let the ADA know that Mr. Wilding's attorney will be looking for a deal." Ross gave his detectives a rare smile of approval. "I had lunch with Jack McCoy yesterday. He said some of the ADAs are complaining that they're not getting any cases to take to court because the two of you are too efficient in getting confessions."

Alex smiled while Bobby performed his familiar dance of a shuffle and attempt to hide.

"I'm sorry," Alex said. "That we aren't providing the ADAs with more courtroom experience."

"Everything's good between the two of you?" Both Alex and Bobby wished Ross would stop asking the question.

Bobby nodded, and Alex responded, "Very good."

"Don't worry, Sir," Bobby said. "Eames and I have worked things out. I'm attending my sessions. You don't have to worry." There was no challenge or anger in Bobby's voice, only a resigned statement of facts.

"Thank you…I appreciate that, Detective," Ross said. "After you've finished the paperwork, go home…And take tomorrow. I think three confessions in four days entitle you to something."

Encouraged by the carrot of free time, Bobby and Alex worked quietly and quickly to finish the paperwork. At least the prospect encouraged Alex. Bobby worked quietly and quickly because Alex wanted the free time. Time away from work didn't matter to Bobby. There wasn't much that he could do with it. He'd occasionally work on some project with Lewis; he'd often visit the library to keep up with the latest research and theories in his profession; he'd even try to rest. But he lacked Alex's family ties and reasons for wanting downtime.

"You going to spend some time with Nate?" Bobby asked as he signed a form.

"Unfortunately," Alex sighed. "Nate and his Mom and Dad are at a water park for a couple of days."

"He swims well enough?"

"Like a fish…He watched the Olympics, and now he wants to be the next Michael Phelps." Alex smiled. "He found out that Michael Phelps has a bulldog, and now he wants a bulldog."

Bobby smiled.

"He really enjoyed that day we went to the beach," Alex said. "Thank you for coming."

"That…that was a good day," Bobby said. "I…I'm glad you dragged me out for that."

"I'm glad you came. It's hard enough to keep track of Nate under normal circumstances. It would've been almost impossible at the beach without a second pair of eyes." Alex returned his smile.

Bobby felt a once familiar warmth. "You can go ahead, Eames…I can finish this up…"

His cell phone rang, and Alex watched with growing concern as Bobby took the call. She knew it was a difficult one when he slumped forward and covered his eyes with his hand. He put the phone on his desk and sat quietly for several moments.

"What is it?" Alex asked gently.

He sat for several more moments, and she feared he might not answer her.

"It was Evelyn," Bobby said finally. He moved his chair closer to Alex. "She's heard from Donnie…"

"Is he ok? Does he know…"

"Evelyn told him about Frank," Bobby said. "She said Donnie said he wasn't sure how he should feel…"

"Not unlike his uncle," Alex said gently.

Bobby smiled sadly. "Yea…Evelyn said…that Donnie said he was ok…But he…He needs help…He's tired of running…of living off the radar…He was worried about me…He wanted to know how I was…She said he'd told Frank that I was in trouble at Tate…" Bobby stopped talking. His face was a mask, but Alex guessed he struggled to control his feelings. "Donnie's at least thinking about someone else…It's more than Frank did…"

"Yea," Alex said quietly. "So he's coming in…Can you get him some help?"

"I think I know where I can get him a good lawyer," Bobby said. He reached for his phone, but stopped when he saw the files on Alex's desk.

"It's ok," Alex said. "There're just a few things to clear up. You do what you need to do to help him."

"Thank you," Bobby said.

By the time Alex finished the paperwork, Bobby had made several calls.

"Eames," he said. "I need to talk to you…and Ross…"

Alex wondered if speaking to the Captain was a good idea, but she wordlessly followed Bobby into Ross' office. She carried their finished paperwork as an appeasement gift. Bobby knocked on the door, and Ross waved them in. Alex dropped the files and forms on the Captain's desk.

"Captain," Bobby said in a soft, strained voice. "My nephew Donnie…His mother's heard from him."

Ross' jaw twitched, and he slowly turned a pen in his hand.

"He…He wants to come in…To face things…I've contacted a lawyer…Someone who owes me a favor…I'm going to see Donnie tonight."

Alex and Ross looked at each other.

"Detective," Ross said quietly. "You're putting me in a difficult situation here."

Bobby nodded. "I know, Sir…But I'm not going to tell you where…And I'm guessing that you won't put a tail on me…" Bobby smiled wanly. "I don't think the NYPD is all that interested in a kid with a relatively minor drug bust that's shaky at best."

Ross leaned back in his chair. "He did escape…"

"Yes," Bobby said. "But it wasn't violent…There were circumstances…And the case is out of our jurisdiction." Bobby began to pace in the small space in front of the Captain's desk. "Sir…" He stopped pacing. "I…I respect you…I appreciate all you've done for me…I want you to know about this so you won't be blindsided…But…I have to see him…I have to help him…"

"And I have to help him," Alex said, nodding towards Bobby.

Bobby turned to her. "You don't…" He smiled. "But of course you will…" He held his hands up in resignation and looked at Ross. "What can I do?"

Ross studied the two detectives. "What do you plan to do, Goren?"

"The lawyer thinks there's a good argument that Donnie's conviction was suspect…That the evidence against him was weak…And the fact that the kid who was driving the car and actually had the drugs got a very light sentence and no jail time," Bobby explained. "And that Donnie escaped only because he feared for his life…She doesn't have all the details, but she thinks there's a good chance she can get him time served and probation. At the very least, he won't go to a facility like Tate."

Ross sighed. "All right, Goren…Thank you for letting me know about this…Let me know what's going on…And if you need any help…Anyone to testify how this kid helped the investigation into the conditions at Tate…I'd be happy to do it."

"Sir…You don't have to…"

"Yes, I do, Detective," Ross said. "If I'd supported you better, a lot of things might not have happened."

Bobby couldn't look at Ross or Alex.

"I just hope this boy is worth everything you're doing for him," Ross said.

"I'm the last person to judge anyone," Bobby said. "I have to believe he's worth it. Thank you, Captain."

Alex followed Bobby out of the Captain's office, out of the squad room, and into the elevator. "All right, when and where are we meeting him?"

Bobby didn't even consider protesting Alex's use of the word "we". "Tonight…or tomorrow morning, depending on your viewpoint. At that restaurant near the Port Authority where Evelyn met Frank."

They arrived at the parking garage. "I'm driving you home tonight," Alex declared.

Bobby didn't protest and quietly slipped into Alex's car's passenger seat. "I'm sorry," he said. "That you have to do this."

"I get to do this," Alex said. "Does Evelyn know what you did for Donnie? Does he know?"

Bobby stared out the side window as if the parking garage was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. "She…she knows that I didn't find out about Donnie until after my Mom's death. Frank apparently told her that I've always known about Donnie, but refused to help him because I was too busy with my own life or too ashamed of Frank and my Mom. I don't know how much she knows about what I did at Tate, although I think Donnie's told her something."

Alex gripped the steering wheel tightly and struggled to keep her rage at Frank Goren from blinding her. "How is Donnie?" she asked when she could trust her voice. "How's he stayed alive?"

"Evelyn said he picked up jobs…dishwashing, janitorial…Jobs where there aren't many questions. She said he sounded good. A little scared, but reasonable. He probably needs some help. He's bi-polar, and that whole thing at Tate…" Bobby shook his head to rid it of unwanted memories. "I just hope he's relatively ok. How he appears will mean a lot before a judge."

"When are you supposed to meet him?"

"His bus is supposed to get in about midnight."

"That's a lovely time to be around the Port Authority," Alex sighed.

"At least I'll have you for backup," Bobby said.

Alex waited with Bobby at his apartment; she sensed he welcomed her presence. He offered to fix or order some dinner, but she had as little appetite as he did. They tried to watch television. Alex suggested they might want to try to get some sleep. Bobby offered her his bed, but nearly jumped away from her when she said they might share it.

"I…I won't get any sleep anyway," Bobby stuttered.

"It's just," Alex said carefully. "I thought…You might need a hug right now…Like we did after what happened to me."

Bobby rubbed the back of his neck.

"I…I miss that," Alex confessed. "How you held me when I was upset…We haven't done that for a while."

Bobby stared at the floor. "I…I'm sorry…I didn't think…I didn't have the right…"

"You know," Alex said as she stepped closer to him. "I get a lot out of that."

Bobby rubbed the back of his neck again.

"How about a compromise?" Alex asked. "We sit on the couch. We fall asleep, we fall asleep. You just set the alarm clock."

"I…I…" Bobby glanced at his desk. "I was going to some research…"

"For Donnie?"

Bobby nodded. "But really…I can't think of anything else I can do…And…And really…I'd rather sit with you…"

For the next couple of hours they sat on the couch. Alex curled up against Bobby, and she dozed. In spite of his best efforts, though, some of Bobby's tension and restlessness spread to Alex. Just before ten, he carefully moved to untangle his body from hers.

"I…I'm going to grab a shower," he said softly. "So maybe you can finally get some sleep."

"It's ok," she said, but she was grateful for the few minutes of sleep she grabbed before he returned.

"You know," he said as he looked down at her. "You don't have to do this…"

She rose and stretched. Bobby thought she looked like an elegant cat. "Yea," she said. "I do."

Alex allowed herself to enjoy Bobby's car as he drove. She thought it was a safe topic that kept her from worrying about their mission.

"It's a beautiful car," she said.

"Know anyone who might like to have it?" Bobby asked a little too casually.

"You're thinking of selling it?" Alex asked. "But you and Lewis…I know you worked really hard on this card…And you're really proud of it…"

Bobby shrugged. "Insurance…Gas…Parking…Only an idiot or a really wealthy person tries to own a car in New York City…And…Well, you know my financial state…And Donnie will need some stuff even if he gets legal help…"

Alex considered Bobby's words. "I…I'll check with my family," she said hesitantly. "I know some of them admire this car a lot."

"I'd appreciate that," Bobby said. "I'd like it to go to a good home."

They arrived at the Port Authority. It was so late, or early, that there were a few open parking spots. Bobby eased into one.

"Think it'll be safe here?" Alex asked "I wouldn't want your potential source of financial aid hurt."

"Well," Bobby sighed. "It's insured."

The Port Authority wasn't the most glamorous entry to New York at noon on a beautiful day. Just before midnight the area was nearly at its worst. As much as Alex hated to admit it, she was glad she was there with Bobby's large, reassuring figure. She followed him into a twenty four hour diner close to the bus terminal. Her cop vision quickly pegged the customers as working girls, pimps, dealers, players and potential members of those dubious fraternities and sororities. She thought two of the men she saw might be undercover cops, and she hoped that none of Bobby's enemies knew about Donnie. She had complete faith in Ross, but there were others in the NYPD, starting with the Chief of Detectives, who would use his nephew against Bobby.

Bobby chose a vacant booth close with a clear view of the terminal and the diner's door. Alex sat at the booth across the aisle where four weary looking women blocked a clear view of her from the door.

A harried and worn waitress approached them.

"Please," Bobby said softly. "We're waiting for someone…He'll probably be really hungry when he gets here…So if you could take his order right away…I'd be very grateful…"

Before Bobby could pull his wallet out, Alex handed the waitress a twenty. "I got it," she said to the waitress and Bobby. "Just keep the coffee coming, and I'll take care of whatever we order."

The waitress nodded and pocketed the bill. As she left, Bobby turned to Alex. "You…"

"I want to do it," she said firmly.

It was a long wait, eased slightly by the surprisingly strong and good coffee and Bobby's destruction of several napkins. Alex bought several newspapers, but they held little interest for either her or Bobby. Bobby did comment that he'd selected a good time to have a personal financial meltdown.

"At least I've got nothing to lose," he said dryly.

Alex thought that Bobby had lost a great deal in the past months. "And that's why Donnie is so important to him," she thought. "He's someone he's found…And he wants to save him…"

"I think," Bobby said. "That's Donnie's bus…"

END CHAPTER ONE

I know practically nothing about the Port Authority. It's a useful location.

Patcat