Okay, I know it's like, four months late, but here's my post ep for War At Home. The song is When Somebody Loves You, by Alan Jackson. Enjoy, and please review, bunnies!
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em... (sigh) Maybe it's better that way. I'd probably brainwash 'em or something...
This story is for confused, who just spent the last four hours helping me with this. Thanks, bunny!
Alex watched the elevator doors shut, but before he disappeared completely, she could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes, and that broke her heart. She stared at the elevator for several minutes, then slowly walked back to their desks.
A few hours later, it was time for her to home, so she grabbed her jacket and files, then walked out of the precinct. Outside, it had started to rain, and she cursed and tucked the files into her jacket and impatiently hailed a cab. Just as the rain started to really pour, a bright yellow cab pulled up alongside the curb, and Alex quickly climbed in.
"Where to, Miss?" the cabbie asked in a thick Spanish accent, and before she realized what she was doing, she gave him Bobby's address, then sank back against the seat.
When they finally pulled up at Bobby's apartment building, Alex tossed the cabbie a wad of cash, then quickly climbed out of the cab and ran through the pounding rain to the shelter of the building.
When your heart is all alone
Every second seems so long
When it's just you, you can't see through
Those ole clouds that rain so blue
But when somebody loves you
There's nothing you can't do
When somebody loves you
It's easy to get through
When somebody loves you
The way I love you
Bobby heard his phone ringing, and he moaned and picked it up, answering with a gruff, "Goren."
Mr. Goren? It's Dr. Schimo.
Bobby sat upright and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Oh, hello, Dr. How's my mom?" he asked, and his stomach churned when he was answered with silence.
I'm sorry, Bobby. Your mom passed away about an hour ago. I'm very sorry-
The rest was cut off when Bobby threw his phone across the room, slamming it into the wall and shattering it into pieces. With a sob, he flung himself down onto his bed and cried, his body shaking with every breath he took.
When it's late, the sun hangs low
By yourself, nowhere to go
Sing a song, you dance alone
Play solitaire and stare at the phone
But when somebody loves you
There's nothing you can't do
When somebody loves you
It's easy to get through
When somebody loves you
The way I love you
When Bobby didn't answer the door, and she kept getting an out of service signal from his phone, Alex put her cell phone away and produced the spare key to his apartment that he had given her a number of years ago. Exhaling slowly, she slipped it into the lock and a sense of relief flooded her as she heard the tumblers click, and the doorknob easily turned in her small hand.
The apartment was dark and silent, but as Alex stepped inside, she could hear someone crying softly in the back of the apartment. Immediately she moved across the floor, stopping in front of his bedroom door. Even in the dim light, she could see a Bobby sized lump in the middle of his big bed, and she gave a sigh of relief and shed her gun, badge and shoes. She knew something was wrong, and she had a feeling that something terrible had happened to her Bobby. She wasn't going in there as Eames, his partner. She was going in as Alex, his best friend whom he needed.
She was silent as she slipped into his bedroom, and the smells that assaulted her made her weak in the knees. It was the essence of Bobby, and she took just a second to appreciate it before coming to stand beside his bed.
He was asleep, but Alex could easily see that he was being tortured by the demons of his subconscious. His head tossed and turned, and his arm jerked from his side. "No," he moaned, tossing in agitation. "No, don't. Stop. Alex!"
Her breath caught in her throat as he called her name, her first name, and she stepped closer to the bed, until she was hovering over him. He continued to thrash and moan, and her heart broke to see him hurting so badly. She knew that what she needed to do was taboo, but she just didn't care. He needed her. For the first time in their partnership, he needed her, and she wasn't about to let him down.
"Bobby," she murmured, reaching down to smooth her cool hand over his hot forehead. His movement seemed to stop once her hand came into contact with his skin, and she was pleasantly surprised. She pulled her hand away, and his face crumbled.
"I'm… No, don't hurt her! Stop it! I'm sorry, Alex," he cried out, and suddenly she understood. He was having a nightmare about her kidnapping. She returned her hand to his cheek, and she could have sworn he leaned in to her gentle touch. Without a second thought, she carefully perched herself on the edge of his bed beside his head. Then she leaned back against the headboard and ran her hand through his thick curls.
Almost as though he could sense her presence, he wrapped one arm around her waist and laid his head in her lap, sobbing quietly. Alex closed her eyes and continued to stroke his hair as she let her own tears fall from her eyes, her heart breaking with her partner's. She didn't know how much time passed before his sobs subsided, but she didn't care.
Finally he looked up at her, his soulful brown eyes now red rimmed and swollen. "Hey, stranger," she murmured, caressing his stubbled cheek.
His cheeks reddened, and he smiled shyly at her and whispered, "Hi." Her smile widened, and they stared at each other for several long seconds before he said, "I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't mean to push you away."
"Hey, hey, hey," she chided, kissing his forehead. "It's okay, Bobby. You were hurting. I'm here. No permanent damage done." They both laughed weakly at her lame attempt at a joke, and he sighed and laid his head back down in her lap. Carefully, she wiggled down until she was laying down beside him, with her arms wrapped securely around his big frame.
"Hey, Bobby?" she said softly, and he looked up at her with loving eyes. "I love you."
He reached up and cupped her cheek with his big hand, then pressed his lips to hers, softly and gently. When he pulled away, he tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear, then said, "I love you too, Alex. Thank you." Then he snuggled deeper into her warm embrace.
As she held him, she couldn't help but smile in spite of herself. Never in their seven years as partners and friends had she imagined taking care of her big bear of a partner like this. Now here she was, cradling her six foot five inch partner, who was nearly twice her size, in her arms. He had never really let her see this part of him: the raw, emotional side that he hid so well from the rest of the world. Now he was counting on her to take the pain away. Trusting her to make everything alright again. And she gladly accepted the challenge, knowing that the reward would be greater than she could ever imagine: being allowed into his heart.
She looked down at her partner's sleeping face, so innocent and unguarded, and her heart melted all over again. He was Bobby: her angel, her lapsed altar boy. She brushed a stray lock of graying hair from his forehead, then gently kissed his eyes.
So let's put aside our foolish pride
And let our hearts say hello
Cause we both agree we're just no good
At bein' on our own
'Cause when somebody loves you
There's nothing you can't do
When somebody loves you
It's easy to get through
When somebody loves you
The way I love you
The way I love you
The way I love you
The End...
A/N: Yeah, I know. Total and utter fluff. So once you wake up from your comas and get back from the dentists, please review, bunnies! I love ya'll!