Spoilers for LADY'S MAN, of course, and it might be helpful to read my AMENDS: MISSING SCENES, but not necessary.

LADY'S MAN: MISSING SCENES

CHAPTER ONE

Eames was upset. Bobby hated it when Eames was upset, when her eyes narrowed and her mouth tightened and her back stiffened. He hated it when he had to calculate every word and gesture when he was near her. The only bright spot in their current situation was that for once he wasn't the cause of her worry and anger. He was, however, the nearest and safest target for that worry and anger, and he quietly accepted that role since it helped Eames, since it kept her from directing any of her feelings towards Ross, or Faith Yancey (although Bobby certainly woudn't have minded and thought he probably would greatly enjoy letting Eames go after that two faced publicity hound), or Kevin Mulrooney. Bobby didn't like Kevin Mulrooney. He didn't like any ADA who suddenly appeared at a crime scene and hovered over detectives as if they didn't know how to do their jobs. Bobby tried not to tell ADAs how to do their jobs, and he expected the same courtesy from them. Mulrooney's appearance made Bobby long for Ron Carver. The man could be officious and overbearing, but he usually let Alex and Bobby do their jobs. Bobby's dislike of Mulrooney grew as Alex's discomfort and her past with him became clearer. Alex became defensive and secretive, and Bobby wasn't used to dealing with a defensive and secretive Alex Eames.

"Payback," he thought as he stared at the crime scene photos. "Payback for all I've done to her. Well, she was patient and hung in there for me… I'll do the same for her."

He hated being banished from Ross' office so that the Captain could have a "talk" with Alex. He could run the entire discussion in his head before it took place. He knew Ross didn't think Alex should be on this case—Bobby wasn't sure Alex should be on this case, but because he didn't want her hurt, not because he didn't think she could do the job. He left Ross' office without protest, partly because he couldn't figure out just how or what to protest. He forced himself not to look at the Captain's office and watch the proceedings. He knew Ross would tell Alex she was too personally involved. Alex would counter she was too much of a professional to allow her feelings to harm her work. In the end, Alex would still be on the case. Bobby briefly wondered why Ross engaged in these fruitless conversations.

Alex eventually strode confidently, even defiantly, from Ross' office.

"Why," Bobby wondered. "Why is it so important for her to stay on this case? Why was it so important for her to stay on the case involving her husband's murder? No one would question why she left both cases…Or was taken off them…I'm the one with the masochistic streak…Why does she do this?" He realized that she was studying him.

"Uh…" He seized a sheet of paper. "We…We've got the phone records…" He held the paper out to her.

"Ok." Alex took the sheet. Her tone indicated she had no desire to discuss what had happened in Ross' office.

Things only got worse as the case went on, and Alex's involvement with Mulrooney became more evident. Bobby hated that he had to ask if she were sexually involved with Mulrooney, but the question had to be asked, and better he ask than Ross or another cop or lawyer. Bobby admitted to himself that one reason he hated asking the question was that he hated the thought of Alex—and in this context he couldn't help but think of her as Alex—being with a man like Mulrooney.

"She deserves better than that…Much better than that…" he thought. "But face it, Goren…You don't like the idea of her being with anyone…And you don't have any right to think anything like that."

He asked the question with as little emotion as he could. He was relieved her answer was no; he was less relieved when her answer seemed less than completely honest. He was grateful that Ross' interruption kept him from having to force the issue.

"The only things I can do," Bobby thought as the case continued. "Is to do my job and tell her the truth."

And that's what he did—even when he had to play Mulrooney; when he had to picture Mulrooney pawing through Alex's things; and when he realized the full and dangerous extent of Mulrooney's obsession with Alex. Bobby didn't know that he possessed so much self control. He found that if he thought of Alex as "Eames" and kept everything very professional and calm he could manage to do his work. This seemed to help Alex as well. Her reaction when he explained his fears and suspicions about Mulrooney revealed everything he admired and loved about her. That last thought terrified him. He loved her. He was afraid she loved him. They'd given in to what Bobby thought and hoped were their shared feelings only once, and then only after the consumption of much alcohol on the night they'd placed the man who'd murdered her husband in jail. Even though he'd rarely been as drunk as he was that night, Bobby remembered—or thought he remembered—every detail of his encounter with Alex. He remembered her soft skin, her warm breath, the smells of rum and lilac, the small freckles just above her breasts, the beauty of her expression when she came, and the way she clung to him as they lay in bed after making love. Those memories held him together after everything that followed. They returned him to sanity after his time in Tate, and they gave him hope throughout his suspension. They spurred him to return to Major Case and reminded him of the repercussions of keeping anything from Alex.

Bobby had no idea if Alex felt anything close to the same about him. He didn't know if she remembered their encounter with the same intensity, or if she wanted to remember it. For all he knew, she might regard the event as a horrible loss of control and a need for comfort and consolation and desperately want to forget it. He couldn't imagine that anything about his aging, out of shape body inspired any tender feelings on her part. After that morning when they woke with pounding heads, queasy stomachs, and slashed and bruised bodies, they'd shared coffee and painkillers and awkward words and looks. He'd escorted her home and shyly picked at the lunch she'd insisted on fixing. As he started to leave her house that day, Alex hesitantly told him the previous night had been wonderful, but perhaps they should slow things down a bit. And then Bobby's life splintered and shattered, and he never had the chance to learn if her words were anything more than a kindness. After everything he'd done to her, Bobby felt he had no right to press the issue, or any issue, with her. He did what he could. He worked and laid all of their successes at her feet, accepted all failures as his own, and hoped that someday she might forgive him.

After Bobby revealed his fears about Mulrooney to Alex, they went to Ross. The Captain grimaced when they revealed their chief suspect was the ADA.

"Are you sure about this?" Ross asked. "The ADA office will claim…"

Bobby stepped forward. "This isn't a case of revenge, Captain. Mulrooney is the guy. He's the one seeking revenge."

"All right," Ross said after a moment. "I can't argue with your logic. I'll get you the warrants and run interference with the ADA's office."

"Thank you, Sir," Alex said softly.

Bobby knew that Alex would come with him to confront Mulrooney in spite of his warning that it would be a painful encounter. He was proud of how she acted. She was remarkably strong, but she was always remarkable in circumstances like this. But as they moved to the SUV to return to Major Case, Alex turned to him and held out the keys.

"Could you drive?" she asked in a tight voice. "I…I…"

"Of course," he said.

The drive was very silent, but Bobby chanced quick and careful looks at Alex. He finally ventured to ask her if she was all right.

"I'm ok," she said quickly. Several moments of more silence followed. "It's just," she said. "It's going to be hard to face everyone and everything."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Bobby said, trying to concentrate on the road. "He planted that letter…He wanted you to lie on the stand…It's…All of this…Alex…You did the right thing. You didn't blow the case. He did."

Alex stared out the window. "I…I know…Part of me feels vindicated. But…Everyone is going to know that…that I trusted him. And a lot of people are going to think that I…I had sex with him."

Bobby tightly gripped the wheel. "You…You're embarrassed that you would've…"

"I know how to pick 'em, don't I?" Alex said bitterly. "I turn for comfort to a…a…What is wrong with him?"

"Several things," Bobby said. "At least from what I can tell from my reading. And…he could be laying the ground work for an insanity defense…I don't think he really has multiple personalities…It's very rare…But he's obviously got some problems…And I think he's going to be spending a lot of time with psychiatrists in his future."

"This isn't going to be one of those nice, quiet cases where the perp pleads out and everything is tied up and put away, is it?" Alex asked wearily.

"I…I don't know. Mulrooney might want to draw it out…To…To…"

"To hurt me…"

"Yea…" Bobby admitted. "But he may know enough to know that if he tries to hurt you, he'll wind up really hurting himself. Everyone will know he's the one who screwed up the case. Who was so obsessed with you that he resorted to murder. His cross-dressing will come out. Whatever happened during those years he was off radar will come out. That's what I'm going to stress to Mulrooney and his lawyer and whatever poor ADA gets this case."

They'd reached One Police Plaza. Alex sighed. "Buy me a margarita when we get through with the paperwork?" she asked plaintively.

Bobby parked the SUV. "What…What," he asked cautiously. "About the bourbon?"

"That…I only drank that…Joe drank it…I only drank it right after…" She shrugged, climbed out of the SUV and walked towards the elevator.

Bobby caught up with her. The elevator was crowded, and they said nothing to each other as it rose. When they reached the eleventh floor, Bobby tried to maneuver his body so that he could shield Alex from the curious and, if not hostile at least unfriendly, stares of the squad room, but Alex walked boldly and calmly to her desk. Even as his heart broke for her, Bobby was proud of her.

Mulrooney was sullen and quiet during the processing. Bobby felt sorry for both the representative from the ADA's office and the young defense attorney who arrived to handle the case, and glad that Ross largely dealt with them. Alex and Bobby worked on paperwork for roughly an hour when Ross appeared at their desks.

"Get out of here," he told them. "The ADA's office is dragging its heels. Mulrooney will go before a judge tomorrow. Nothing will happen until then, and maybe not then. He's going to need a public defender, and it seems none of them is anxious to take this case."

Alex's pen hovered over a form. "He needs a public defender?"

Ross nodded. "ADA's don't get paid that much. And it seems much of Mulrooney's funds have been going to fund…his pursuits." Ross turned to Bobby. "You did a good job of tracing his financial records, Detective."

"It wasn't that hard," Bobby replied, uncertain of how to respond to Ross' rare praise. "He really didn't try that hard to hide his tracks."

Alex concentrated on the form in front of her.

"Like I said," Ross continued. "Go home…Or someplace…Tomorrow and the next days will be tough…"

Bobby began shutting down his computer and gathering his things as Ross returned to his office. "C'mon," he said softly. "I can get you that margarita."

END CHAPTER ONE