Author's Notes:
And now for a something different. This will be a series of drabbles. All of them either Alex Eames-centric, Bobby Goren-centric, or Goren-Eames (sometimes just partnership/friendship, sometimes more than that). They are all self-contained and generally unrelated. All of them were written in answer to challenges at a drabble community at another site (and were written over the course of years, lol). After being scattered all over that community, I figured I'd archive them all in one place. Namely here.
I own nuthin' and feedback is lurve. :D
The Drabbles of The Major Case Squad:
Goren, Eames, Goren/Eames 1-10
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Circling
Bobby lifted himself out of his non-descript metal chair to begin a familiar stroll to his right, pestering the suspect with suppositions. He paused by the door momentarily, trapping his quarry in an inaccuracy before continuing his counterclockwise trip around the interview room. He bypassed the defense attorney with barely a glace to get in the suspect's face, finally delivering the coup de grace, revealing the piece of evidence that would seal the man's guilt. He straightened then and finished his circuit, returning once again to his seat, case closed but for the paperwork. A classic Bobby Goren victory lap.
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Light Ruse
Alex had invited him over, ostensibly to finish some paperwork.
At his knock she yelled for him to enter. Just as he poked his head into the living room she plugged in the strand of multicolored Christmas lights, sighing dramatically when they didn't illuminate. Complaining that both her light strands must have a bad bulb, she left him and the lights in the living room to go retrieve the paperwork.
Seconds later, she returned only to find Bobby meticulously replacing one bulb after another, searching for the bad one. Having expected nothing less, she smiled inwardly and almost felt guilty.
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Time For Some Quick Thinking
If keeping their relationship secret for so long had any advantages at all, it was that they had become masters at unspoken communication.
Which was how Bobby could tell from just the briefest brush of Alex's hand against his thigh before she got up to use the restroom that there were things other than hanging out with Logan and Barek she wanted to do with him that night. And how he knew that he had until she returned to come up with some excuse that could quickly and without raising suspicions get the both of them out of that bar.
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Someday
Arriving at the passenger side door Bobby took a deep breath and climbed in, acutely aware of Alex's accusing stare.
After several moments of silence, he finally spoke, "Eames, I…"
She immediately interrupted him, "You seem to have lost your coat."
Bobby looked down at himself and nodded, slightly confused "Yeah."
She nodded along with him, "I hope someday you'll tell me where and how. And why... But you don't have to today."
Bobby nodded again, this time in understanding and gratitude.
Alex gave him one last nod before putting the car into drive and pulling away from the curb.
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Permission
"Are you asking me for permission?"
Alex shrugged noncommittally, "This is going to affect you, too. I mean, you think I'm a bitch normally," Alex smiled wryly, "Wait until I'm pregnant and got hormones flying everywhere."
Bobby wouldn't be distracted by Alex's self-deprecating humor, "But for this of all things, Eames, you don't need my permission."
"I know. But I...I want it," Alex uncharacteristically looked away, shy. "I can't explain why, but I do."
Reaching over, Bobby brought her eyes back to his with two fingers under her chin. "Then you have it. And anything else you'll need, too."
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Bobby's Apology
Five hours into the stakeout, and they hadn't said a word to each other until Bobby finally broke the silence. "Today's the solstice, you know."
Eames continued to look out her window but muttered, "Great, just the beginning of a long, cold winter."
Silence descended until Bobby interrupted it again, "I meant, it's the shortest day of the year."
Something in his voice made Alex turn to look at him. He continued, "The days will be getting longer, brighter."
She forced him to hold her gaze before she whispered, "Promise?"
He reached over to gently touch her cheek and nodded.
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Relationships
Bobby wasn't surprised but was nevertheless annoyed to find his former captain pounding on his door at 11:30 pm.
As way of greeting, Bobby practically spat out, "If Captain Ross has a problem with me, he can come here himself to tell me."
"You think I'm here for Ross?" Jimmy asked incredulously. "Look, I think it's stupid but I'm not going to stop you if you want to begin your relationship with him this way."
"Then why are you here?"
"To stop you from ending your relationship with your partner this way. You'll regret it, Bobby. And she deserves better."
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Where To Go From There
He didn't often pick her up for work. But today they needed to drive out of the city. He waited while she finished getting ready.
When she emerged she caught him returning the photograph to the mantle.
"Ready?" he asked. He tried to look casual.
She looked at the photo, then back at him.
"He'll always be a part of me, Bobby."
He nodded, looked down.
"But that doesn't mean..."
He looked up. Was that hope in his eyes?
She struggled, trying to figure out what to say, where to go from there. But she couldn't.
"We should get going."
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Being Strong
Displaying emotion was displaying weakness.
It was a lesson she'd been taught early. And one she'd heeded. Declarations weren't easy to get from her nor were they easy for her to give. Not that she had ever really felt the need to try that hard.
Until Bobby.
It wasn't that he didn't know how she felt; he did. But she knew he deserved more, needed more. He needed to hear it— hear them —from her. For his ear had too rarely reverberated with those precious three little words.
So gathering all her strength, Alex held his gaze and spoke them.
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Long Night
A heavy sigh. Something close to a grunt. A sharp inhale. A hiss.
"Bobby, please!"
A mumbled "sorry" was the only response.
Shifting. Twisting. Resettling. Shifting again.
"Bobby!" Only 45 minutes into a potentially night-long stakeout, Bobby's antics were worse than usual and were getting to Alex.
"They could at least warn a person," Bobby muttered.
Alex looked at the unfortunately located coffee stain on Bobby's lap then picked up the cardboard cup the liquid had been in until 40 minutes ago. She read the words printed near the bottom, "You mean like, 'Caution, contents may be hot'?"
Bobby flinched.
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