Working Through

By Lisa

Rating: T

A/N: Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Christmas spirit has been calling my muse and I finally decided to give in. Just a little pre-holiday fluff.

"Just a minute!" Bobby yelled, rushing to open the door and finding his partner on the other side with a big smile on her face.

"I didn't think you were ever going to open that door," Alex Eames said, pushing past him and coming inside not waiting for an invitiation.

"I was taking a shower," he explained, standing there in an old dark blue robe. "I wasn't exactly expecting company. Why aren't you with your family?"

"I will be with them tomorrow. Today is Christmas Eve, and I have decided that you are the lucky person that gets to spend it with me," Alex said, sitting on the arm of his favorite leather chair.

"Eames, I'm not…I'm not really up for..." Bobby explained, his face betraying the emotions he felt.

"Look, I know that it's only been three weeks since your mother passed away, but you need to get out," Alex replied, her features softening. "Besides, I need somebody to go shopping with me today."

Bobby's eyes got wide, "You want me to go shopping with you…on Christmas Eve?"

"Yes, I do. It'll be fun. I have a couple of things I still need to pick up and I need someone to carry my bags for me," she teased.

"I'm not…I haven't even really thought about presents," Bobby confessed, a pained look crossing his expressive eyes.

"You don't have to think, just carry and lunch is on me. Wherever you want," Alex convinced.

Bobby looked at her for a moment. She was absolutely beautiful standing there in her red turtleneck and black jeans. The cold had made her cheeks glow and her hair was just a bit damp from the snow flurries that had been coming down all morning.

"Ok, but I warn you, I may not be the best company," he said. "Just let me get dressed."

"Ok, but no suit and tie," she said as if she were issuing him a stern warning.

"No suit and tie, got it," he said, starting to go toward his bedroom but stopped just short. "Has anyone ever told you that you can be a bit bossy?"

"Not and lived to say it twice," she answered. "Now get dressed, there's shopping to be done."

Bobby disappeared into his bedroom while Alex took off her favorite black leather jacket and looked around his living room. Not much had changed since the last time she had been there, the day of his mother's funeral. She had wanted to bring him back to her house, but he had insisted on coming home. He had spent the evening looking at the same photograph of his mother and she had made sandwiches and other dinners that he could just put into the oven whenever he needed them. Finally around midnight, she had gone to sit beside him to tell him that she was leaving. He hadn't spoken to her since that afternoon and he had finally thanked her.

"I couldn't have gotten through this without you," he'd said, and kissed her on the cheek. Alex told him to call if he needed her and she had left…..

Alex came back to reality as Bobby walked back into the room.

"I guess I'm ready," he announced, causing Alex to turn around and look at him.

"You clean up pretty good, Goren," she said smiling and picking up her jacket. He was dressed in khaki pants and a dark blue sweater.

"I'm glad you approve," he said taking her jacket and helping her on with it. "So where are we off to?"

"The mall of course," she answered. "And if you're good, you might just get to sit on Santa's lap."

Bobby didn't answer just grabbed his coat and followed her out the door.

"I can't believe you did that," Bobby said, getting off the elevator and walking into the department store.

"I can't help it if that was the only parking space left in the whole parking garage. What is it with people waiting until the last minute to do their Christmas shopping?" It's not like they don't know when December 25th is?" Alex said orienting herself in the store.

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" he said, following closely behind her.

"Yeah well, I'm a cop. I'm busy," she explained.

They walked through the store in silence as Alex seemed to look at every sweater in the men's department. Cheerful holiday music filled the silence along with the occasional shriek of an unruly child.

"Who do you need to buy a sweater for?" Bobby asked, leaning over her shoulder.

Alex looked up at that precise moment and their faces were only inches apart. She smiled and said that she needed one for her brother. Bobby felt her warm breath on his cheek and shuddered. It seemed like the first thing he had felt since the day of the funeral.

"Does he have the same coloring and features as you?" he asked, picking up a green wool sweater when she nodded in agreement.

"Well, then I would go with the green. You look great in green," he said, handing her the sweater.

"That's just what I was thinking," she said. "I knew you would come in handy."

Alex walked over to the sales counter and paid for her purchase and handed Bobby the bag to carry.

He took the bag and smiled.

"Now what? Are you finished?," he said, following her again, dodging other shoppers.

"Oh, I'm just getting started," she replied with a laugh.

TBC