Title: How To Deal

Characters/Parings: Bobby/Alex; Mike/Carolyn; Ross/Wheeler; Nola Falacci/OC

Rating: Strong PG-13/R

Disclaimer: Unless I can play with Bobby and/or Mike for a very long time, I don't own them. Dick Wolfe does.

Setting: Season 7

Spoilers/Notes: Carolyn and Megan came back and are now partners. Takes place during the episode 'Amends' and beyond.

Summary: Alex deals with the aftermath of finally finding her husband's killer and how she's not dealing it alone. She also deals with the fact that she's falling in love with her partner and that love's in the air at MCS.

Author's note: Originally, this was supposed to be a one shot fic, but I decided to make it into a full fledge story. I have a pretty good idea of where I'm taking this, but it's gonna take me a while to develop it because seeing that I'm an BA shipper, I'm gonna play with y'all for a while. Furthermore, I need to stop coming up with brand new stories, but seeing that I need more love over on the CI side, I need to make it happen.

Enjoy and happy reading!

Lots of love, hugs and kisses from your resident writer and friend, Nina!

X

Major Case Squad room

22nd precinct

Manhattan, New York

October 4, 2007

Detective Alexandra Eames quietly sat at her desk, mulling over the day's event. She didn't think it was possible, but she finally found the man who murdered her husband Joe, only she found herself breaking down when she slapped the handcuffs on him. To make matters worse, the man turned out to be a respected doctor, who confessed that killing Joe was an accident and nothing more. Nonetheless, she had to follow proper procedure and arrested him, but it wasn't easy.

Her relationship with her partner Bobby Goren hasn't been on the best of terms since the investigation of her husband's former partner's murder started. She refused to believe that the man who was already sitting in jail was actually innocent and that Bobby actually wanted to go through with the process, since new evidence began to surface. As the investigation went on, she got more and more irritated because evidence she found at the police impound turned out to be exactly what Bobby told her.

When she sorted through the evidence, she picked up Joe's blood soaked sweat shirt and held it against her, crying as she slid down on the chair. The memories of her husband's lifeless body continues to haunt her. She loved him so much that she couldn't go through another single day without him. So, when he was killed, a part of her was killed, too.

This isn't another one of your puzzles, Bobby. This is my life, she told him through her tears. She looked at him and, for a moment, she thought he was gonna go off on her. Instead, he looked at her in pity.

What she didn't know that he was on the verge of taking her in his arms and have her cry on his shoulder. She didn't know that he was on the verge of kissing the tears away from her face. She had no idea that the man was in love with her.

Well, that didn't happen. Now, she was sitting alone, wondering where she's gonna go from here. Now that she has some closure in her life, she didn't know if she's gonna ever get over it. She decided she had enough of being in this squad for one day. She was going home.

Furthermore, the scene at the Major Case Squad was changing once again. Two former detectives who worked with Mike Logan (who also has become close friends with her) has returned and they're now working together. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of Mike hugging Carolyn Barek tightly and giving Megan Wheeler a kiss on her freckled cheek. It was no secret that Logan was completely in love with Carolyn and that he has developed a brother/sister relationship with Megan. Now, he has his work cut out for him in the form of his new partner, Nola Falacci. You'd think he has enough of going through female partners in his lifetime.

Speaking of partners, she wasn't surprised to find Bobby coming in, holding a brown paper bag in his hands. Whether he was offering her a chocolate chip scone or he was hungry himself, he was smiling at her, showing his perfect white teeth. She knew she couldn't get enough of seeing him smile. That's one of the things she loved about him.

Wait...loved? I can't believe I even thought about that! Bobby's my partner and best friend. I can't be having romantic feelings for him. I'm still a grieving wife. I can't be in love with Bobby. Or am I? She thought as she looked at him intently. He kept smiling at her, which caused her resolve to melt slightly.

"How are you holding up?" he asked softly. His voice, so husky and soft, was another thing she loved about him.

"Fine," she said in an soft and unsure voice.

"Listen, about what happened, I just want you to know that I do care about you and I'm sorry for crossing the line. I know finding Joe's killer was important to you," he assured her.

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Bobby. I'm glad we're on solid ground here."

"Me, too. Listen, as a peace offering, I brought you your favorite: chocolate chip scones," he said as he handed the bag over to her. She smiled as she dug in and took a bite.

"So good," she moaned, smiling brightly.

"I knew you like it. Well, I'm going home. My work's here done," he said as he grabbed his things off his desk. He felt his pants twitch when he saw her eating the scones, looking like she was in the middle of climaxing. It was no secret he's been in love with her since she first became his partner seven years ago. When he first saw her, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Lord knows how many sleepless nights he had when he dreamt about her.

She's so beautiful. I can't wait another minute to make her mine. I had enough being in the dark for so long. It's time for me to take serious action.

"Alex, would you like to have coffee with me?" he asked nervously.

"We have coffee here, Bobby," she reminded him.

He snorted playfully. "Please, I can't drink that coffee. I see why Special Victims Unit don't let John Munch make coffee. It tastes like really bad water."

She had to laugh. She knew he was right. "I guess I could go for a cappuccino. I haven't had that in so long."

He grabbed her jacket and helped her put it on, not noticing several pairs of eyes glancing at them.

"They're so made for each other," one woman said.

"You're telling me. I just wish they just pulled the crap out of their asses and see it," another woman said.

"We shouldn't get involved, anyway. Besides, she found her husband's killer," Mike groaned.

"It's been how many years since Joe died? Too long, in my opinion. It's time for her to move on and find someone who loves her. Bobby's perfect for her," Carolyn insisted.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Car, I love you, but don't get involved. If and only if Bobby and Alex realize their feelings for each other, they should do it on their own terms, not ours."

Nola shook her head slightly. "Come on, we should give them a little encouragement."

Captain Danny Ross glanced at her. "I agree with Mike. We're staying out of it. Let them find out for themselves."

"Thank you, Cap. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm taking my woman out for a drink," Mike said as he and Carolyn left.

"Cap, um, I don't mean to pry in your business, but I've noticed you and Wheeler getting all chummy with each other. Are you finally ready to get out of that funk?" Nola said, smiling sarcastically.

Danny glared at her. "For your information, Falacci, Wheeler and I are not being chummy with each other and I'm not in a funk. I just happen to be perfectly happy with my life right now. Besides, who wants to date a single Jewish father like me?" he asked, looking disoriented.

"If I wasn't married, I'd date you," she joked, which actually made him smile.

"Thanks. I feel so much better. Look, even if I was chummy with Wheeler, she'd never go for the likes of me, anyway. I'm older than her, she's like a daughter to me and I'm just not in her league," he confessed.

"You know what they say: opposites attract. If you really like her, take it slow and see where you wanna take this. And, for the record, most women would go for a older man nowadays," she assured him.

Ross knew his newest detective was right. But, he didn't know if Megan felt the same way. But, he's been single for so long; having to deal with his ex-wife's lover while trying to keep the family together for the sake of his two sons was taking a toll on him. Furthermore, he haven't thought about dating again since his divorce. He knew he couldn't stay single for long.

"Falacci, go home to your family. I'll deal with this in the long run," he barked orders at her.

She raised her hands up and quietly stepped away, not saying another word. Danny looked over and was surprised to see Bobby and Alex sharing a chocolate chip scone on his desk. She had her hand on his shoulder while he kept smiling at her. He knew they shouldn't be together, but since when he'd ever followed the rules? Besides, Bobby and Alex are the most least complained detectives on the force. He rarely heard anything bad about them.

"Bobby, I thought we was going for coffee," she said, breaking out of their little zone they were in.

"I thought so, too, until you offered me that delicious scone," he laughed, which made her chuckle.

"Come on, that cappuccino's calling me," she said as she grabbed his arm. Together, they walked out of the precinct, not knowing what's gonna hit them next.

Just a little introduction, nothing more. I promise you, things will jump off in the next chapter! Stay tuned!

Please review (I need about ten of them)!