A/N: this is my contribution to what will, by the time this is published, be about five pages of Loyalty tags.

Alexandra Eames had never noticed how devoid of personal effects her partner's desk was until she had to clean it out. Still, she collected what was there into a small box. She took a step back to look at the desk. Never had it been so empty. Usually it was covered with case-files and everything else he needed to solve a case.

She placed her hands on her hips and, though she could see her gun and badge sitting inside the captain's office, she was surprised when she didn't feel them clipped on her belt. She looked back at her badge and gun. For a second she considered going back for them. The Department was all she had ever known. What would she do if she walked out?

She shook her head and turned around. No. No matter what, walking away would be better than what awaited her. She couldn't deal with the constant reminder of what she did. Couldn't deal with watching someone else sit in the desk across from hers, in his desk.

She turned and walked out, fighting a losing battle with the tears welling in her eyes.

Alex took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with her free hand before knocking on the door of his apartment. It seemed like forever before he opened the door, but in actuality it couldn't have been more than thirty seconds.

"Hey Bobby," she said, still choking back the tears, "I- I know you hate it when people go through your stuff. So I figured I'd bring it over before the Department had a chance to go through it all."

"Thanks Eames," he replied.

"It's Alex now."

"Okay…Alex."

A slight smile crossed her face at the sound of that name coming from his lips. "Honestly I don't know why it wasn't Alex before," she told him.

He did. It was to keep his distance, keep it professional, keep him from having to admit… He still couldn't admit it, not even to himself. He took the box from her and placed it right inside the door. He turned back, forcing a small smile.

That's when she lost it. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. The tears were flowing freely down her face. "I'm so sorry Bobby. I shouldn't have done that to you."

"It's okay. You had too. If you hadn't then-"

"No…no. I sold you out, Bobby. For a position. I tried to convince myself I was doing the right thing, but it was so I could have that damn title." She took a step back, but refused to look at him.

"No you didn't. I know you didn't. And…Alex, please look at me."

She did.

"I have never met anyone more deserving of that job than you. I don't know how you pulled it off after a decade with me. You're…you're gonna do great…my only- my only regret is that…I'm not gonna be there to see it. And if firing me is what it took, well then, it was worth it."

"Don't you try to convince me that it was Bobby. It wasn't and I can'- I can't work with the constant reminder of what I did to you. Can't work somewhere where they sacrifice people like you. I just can't do it, and you trying to-"

"Okay, it's okay," he soothed, gathering her into his arms again, "Just, what do you mean you can't?"

"I didn't take the job. I quit."

That caught him completely off guard. "What? You didn't t-? You worked so hard for that. It was always what you wanted. You can't just-"

"Yes I can. And I did. So could we please just drop it for know."

He nodded. He could see the strength it took for her to walk away. He knew that as soon as her family found out they were going to ask her all the same questions. She didn't need them from him to. She needed someone who would just accept her decision.

Then, almost as an after thought, he realized that she had done this for him. No one had ever done anything like that for him. He had given up hope so long ago, but maybe…

A small smile appeared on Robert Goren's face. It was genuine, the kind she hadn't seen in a while. "What?" she asked, a similar smile now playing about her lips.

"You're the best," he told her, "I'm just the whack job."

A/N: there you go. I hope you liked it. Anyway, please drop a review a fav. Something. Please…it's for a good cause.