Disclaimer: Not mine, obviously. Dick Wolf created them.

Rating: K

Spoilers: Loyalty Pt 1 and 2.

Author: Traci

Summary: Picks up right when Loyalty Pt 2 ended. Goren and Eames now have to figure out their future.

Author Note: I started this right after the episode ended but have read some fics today that are similar – I guess great minds (and shippers) think alike hehe.

Nothing Without You

Now former Detective Goren, Bobby stood at the elevator waiting for the door to open and remove him from the life he'd known for so many years. He refused to look back as he had left his partner's new office after she had fired him. Seeing the strongest person he'd ever known choke on tears had nearly brought him to the brink as well so he had kissed her on the cheek, held her tight then walked away.

"Bobby?"

He turned to see his petit partner running up to him. "I don't think they'll let you rehire me," he smirked.

She smiled. "I couldn't if they wanted me to."

He cocked his head to the side waiting for her to continue then he noticed what was missing. "Alex… Alex, don't quite over me. You deserve this. I'm the reason you weren't promoted long ago."

The elevator doors slid open. Alex stepped inside waiting for Bobby. "Come on. You can buy me a drink to make up for it."

Sitting in a dark corner of their favorite bar, Bobby watched Alex nurse her drink. "You really shouldn't have quit. I'm sure if you call…"

"Bobby, they made me fire you. You. My partner. Would the promotion have been nice? Yes. But not at the cost of my soul."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Were you really going to just up and leave that way?" Alex quietly asked.

"What way?"

"A kiss on the cheek. A hug. Then out the door with a 'guess I'll see you around'?"

"I wasn't sure…"

"Damnit Bobby we've been partners for how long? And I thought friends. That hurt more than anything else."

"I know how hard it was for you to be the one to fire me I didn't mean to make it worse. If it makes you feel better I was going to call you later to take you to dinner."

"Oh," was her shocked response.

"We've been through too much together and you have supported me when no one else would or should have. I could never have just walked away from you." Watching her struggle to control her emotions, he reached across the table and took her hand. "Why don't we order Chinese at my place?"

Alex simply nodded.

"So what now?" Alex asked before taking a bite out of her egg roll as they sat on his couch.

Bobby shrugged. "Haven't really thought about it. A break will be nice though. What about you?"

She shrugged as well. "I hadn't really planned on quitting today."

"You really should just…"

Alex stopped him by placing a finger over his lips. "I'm not going back. Remember how you reminded me I've never been able to talk you out of anything? Well this time I'm not going to be talked out of it." Removing her finger, she went back to eating.

Bobby just stared at her. "You were wrong you know."

"Bobby…"

"Not about leaving. About me."

Her eyes met his.

"You said I was the best but you were wrong." He gently touched cupped her cheek with his hand. "You are the best. I would be nothing without you and I don't think I've ever said thank you so thank you."

Having decided to enjoy their new freedom, they picked a mindless movie to watch during which Alex had fallen asleep leading to their current position of him resting back with his feet up on the table and Alex snuggled safely and securely against his side with his arm around her. In all the years they had known each other they had never really found strength in each other through physical contact until now.

"What about the Keys?" Alex mumbled.

Figuring she was talking in her sleep, he played along. "Keys to what?" Only after the fact did he realize how loaded a question that was. Keys to his heart? She held them long ago.

She lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. "Florida Keys. We could open a bar surrounded by palm trees, nice weather and an ocean."

"What about hurricanes?"

"Pessimist."

He grinned at her. "Isn't that my role?"

Alex sat up a bit straighter. "I'm serious, Bobby. Why don't we just move to the Keys and open a bar on the beach?"

He could do nothing more than stare at her.

"No?"

"You said we," he countered.

"Well I'm certainly not doing it alone!" She kissed his cheek. "And yes, we as in us. If you want to that is."

"I'm nothing without you."

Alex smiled at him. "Good because I'm nothing with you, too."

"So, Florida, huh?" he asked, leaning a bit closer to her.

"Uh huh, Florida," she confirmed, also moving closer.

"Any chance of you in a bikini?"

She grinned as his lips grazed hers. "If you play your cards right."

With all the changes in such a short time for once both were finally sure of one thing as their lips collided, no matter what the future held they would face it together.