By: The Confused One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything connected to Law and Order: Criminal Intent in any shape or form. I'm not making any money from this, and I promise to put Bobby and Alex back just like I found them. Thanks for letting us use them Mr. Wolfe.

Archive: Feel free. Just tell me where. Thanks.

Reviews: Yes, please. Thanks.

Rating: T. Things are going to get hairy for our duo. It'll be an interesting ride.

Warnings: Major spoiler alert for "Proud Flesh". Other than that, it should be fine.

A/N: I know this is several weeks late, but I figured I'd contribute my part. Here's to Alex's faster reflexes. Let me know, seriously, what you think.

Alex couldn't tear her eyes away from the body. She could feel Bobby return to her side. She handed someone else her gun. She assumed they were CSU, and she was counting on Bobby to make sure it was. He wouldn't let her hand it to anyone else. She knew that. She trusted that. She could hear Carver finishing his statement, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at the Carver or the press.

Bobby was worried. She hadn't moved. Even after the sheet was put on top of him, she didn't move. Seeing that Carver was almost done, he knew what was coming. The press corp. was about to descend upon Alex and him. Putting his arms around her shoulder, he whispered in her ear, "We have to go."

She nodded slightly, acknowledging his words. She knew he was right. She wasn't really aware of her surroundings. All she knew, all she felt, was his arms were guiding her away. Reaching the car, he simply asked, "Keys?"

She wordlessly pulled them out and handed them to him. She began getting into the passenger seat, which seemed to please him, because he went around to the other side of the car and got in.

He was relieved they had beaten the press to the car. He drove off, making sure no one was following them. Reaching her apartment building, he parked. With a sigh, he finally spoke again, "I'm sorry I left."

Alex shook her head no. She knew Bobby. She knew how he worked. It had been his normal reaction. She wasn't holding any of it against him. She tried to reassure him, "Don't. I'll be fine."

Bobby nodded. He dared look over at her. For the first time, she looked small. She didn't look like the formidable woman he knew as Alex Eames. He compelled to ask, "Do you want me to come up?"

Alex finally looked at him. She wanted to say yes. She didn't want to be alone, but she had to be sure he wasn't just asking. She wasn't sure why she was checking, but she was. She wasn't surprised to find no hint of hesitation on his face. With a nod, she accepted, "Yeah. Please."

He nodded. They both wordlessly got out of the car and headed up the stairs to her apartment. Walking in, he watched as she collapsed on the sofa. He hesitantly watched from the doorway. He finally ventured, "Coffee?"

Alex didn't even look at him. She was too drained. She weekly answered, "Please."

He didn't say another word. He knew she was in pain, and he wished he could make it better. He hated seeing her in pain. He quietly made coffee, feeling it was all he could do, at the moment. He kept an eye on her from the kitchen. Pouring two cups, he put some cream in hers, just like she liked it.

He put her cup in front of her and took a seat in the chair that was almost directly across from her. Taking a sip of his coffee, he watched her. His anger at Chance and Jonas Slaughter was growing by the second. More than anything he hated what they had done to her, his partner. He refused to show that anger though. He was afraid, in the state she was in, she'd misunderstand and think it was directed at her for some reason. He kept his voice calm, and tried to remind her, "He didn't give you a choice."

Alex sighed. She met his eyes. She could see darkness in his eyes. She could tell he was bothered. He was angry. She knew it had to be her. He wasn't used to seeing her as the one who was upset. She took a sip of her coffee and replied, "I know. I'm sorry I made you come up here. I really will be OK. It's just never easy."

Bobby shook his head. He wasn't going to let her back away from him. He knew she had seen something. He gave himself away somehow. She could tell something was wrong, and she was assuming it was her, like he knew she would, and she was trying to protect him. Even he knew. She was always at least trying to protecting him just like he was always trying to protect her. He insisted, "I don't mind being here with you. I never mind spending time with you. Yeah, I don't like seeing you so upset, but I'm here for you. If you need something, just ask."

Alex nodded. She looked at her coffee cup. His words actually made her feel a little better. She realized the anger she could see in his eyes wasn't directed at her. It was about Chance and Jonas Slaughter. She met his eyes again. It was still there. She opted for the direct approach, "I'm mad at them too."

Bobby snorted. He would have laughed at how easily, even in this state, she understood him if she wasn't in so much pain. He met her eyes, and explained, "I'm angry he's not going to pay for murder, and I'm angry that his son committed suicide and took the fall, but I'm sick that they used you to do it. This wasn't your fault, and they didn't give you a choice."

Looking away, Alex stared at her curtains. She quietly agreed, "Yeah."

Bobby took another sip of his coffee. Her house phone rang. He eyed the phone and then her. The look on her face said to ignore it. He wasn't going to argue with her. They listened as the machine picked it up. It was Deakins, "I just heard what happened a few minutes ago. I know you two are there. If you're not picking up, then call me in a little while. It was a good shoot. IA shouldn't cause any trouble. I just want to know you two are both OK."

Alex sighed as Deakins hung up. She met Bobby's eyes and whispered, "My entire family is going to be calling saying the same thing."

Bobby smiled slightly. He nodded and offered, "I can run interference for you."

Alex nodded. It sounded like a perfect idea to Alex. She couldn't handle all the sympathy at the moment. She leaned her head back and replied, "Thank you."

Bobby watched as she finished her coffee. He offered, "If you want to go lay down, I'd understand."

It was as if she hadn't heard his last comment. A few tears started coming down her cheek, and she asked, "Why doesn't knowing it was justified make it easier?"

He immediately went from the chair to the couch. He engulfed her in a hug, as she began crying. He tightened his grip and just held her silently as she sobbed. He tried to ignore how much he loved the feeling of her being in his arms. He tried to ignore how much he enjoyed being able to smell the slight strawberry scent that her lotion left. When she finally stopped, he realized it was because she was asleep. He closed his eyes. She had cried herself to sleep. He choked back his rage at Jonas. They had no right to bring her to this state.

He effortlessly scooped her up and carried her to her bed. He only hesitated slightly and momentarily when he reached her bedroom door. He hoped she wouldn't be angry with him in the morning for crossing some sort of boundary. He managed to get her shoes off and to tuck her in without waking her. He closed the door behind him as he left her to sleep. He mused that when she got up, she'd be much better. When she got up, she'd start healing and moving on. They both knew the Slaughter family wasn't worth anymore pain than necessary.

Opening her liquor cabinet, he poured himself a scotch. He'd have to drown his anger. He'd never get to act on it. He'd never be able to express just how much he hated Jonas Slaughter, to his face, for bringing his partner, the stoic Alex Eames, to tears. Alex crying was not an acceptable thing to him. It wasn't something Bobby was good at dealing with. He wanted someone to pay dearly for hurting her like this. He wanted someone to hurt like she hurt. The idea that Jonas would never know the depths of his rage over such a situation just made him angrier.

He drank the whole glass of scotch at once. The phone rang again. He looked at it angrily, for a moment. He finally picked it up, "Hello."

A hesitant voice spoke, "I'm sorry. I'm looking for Alex Eames. I must have pressed the wrong number."

Bobby immediately recognized the voice, but he wasn't surprised they didn't recognize his voice. The woman sounded almost exactly like Alex. He quickly interrupted, "Mrs. Eames, its Bobby Goren. Alex is lying down."

Mary Eames took a deep breath. Someone was making sure her baby girl was OK after such a terrible incident. She replied, "I'm sorry. I should have recognized your voice. Thank you for being there with her, for her. Is she OK?"

Bobby hesitated. He wasn't sure how much Alex would want him to tell her family. He decided to play it down a little, "It shook her up a little, but she'll be fine. She just needed to lay down a bit."

Mary could tell there was more. He was being too cryptic and had taken too long, but she understood he was just trying to protect Alex. She took what she could get, "John won't be home from his sister's for a couple days, but might still call. Does she need anything? Does she need someone to come by?"

Bobby understood what Mary was getting at. She was feeling helpless and worried. She wanted to help, and Bobby hated telling her no, but he knew that was what Alex wanted. He assured her, "Everything is alright right now, and I'm not going anywhere till she tells me to go home. I promise. I'm taking care of her. I'll have her call you a little later."

Mary Eames sighed, taking what she could get. She reassured Bobby, "If she needs anything, call me. I'll keep the rest of the family at bay. She wants to be left alone, mostly, doesn't she?"

Bobby sighed too. He admitted, "Yeah. I promise though. She's going to be fine, and I'll have her call you."

Mary accepted his words and replied, "Thank you Detective. I'll talk to you later then."

Bobby sighed as he hung up the phone. He poured himself another glass of scotch and plopped down on the couch. He knew Alex wouldn't mind if he had a couple of glasses.

Staring at the phone, he sighed. He knew he needed to call Deakins and reassure him that things were OK. Otherwise, he'd be showing up in a little while. Picking up the phone, Bobby dialed the familiar number.

Deakins sat, nursing his headache. He stared at the forms in front of him. He really wasn't in the mood to finish them. When the phone rang, he was happy for the distraction. Picking it up, he answered, "Deakins."

Bobby leaned back and started, "We're at Eames'. I wanted to get her away from the press."

Deakins took a deep breath of relief. Bobby was exactly who he needed to speak to. He replied, "Its fine. How is she?"

Bobby sighed again. He wasn't going to lie to Deakins. He explained, "She'll be fine. She was feeling it earlier. She's lying down right now."

Deakins nodded. A part of him figured about as much. He was pleased that he had guessed right. They were at her place. Nothing Bobby had said was too alarming to Deakins. He trusted his Detectives to know their boundaries, even Bobby and Alex. He assured Bobby, "I'll keep the press and IA away. We can deal with it when you guys come in tomorrow. Let me know if she needs anything."

Bobby sighed and sat up. He appreciated Deakins understanding, and Bobby was beginning to figure he was going to be spending the night on the couch. He ended the conversation, "Thanks Captain. I'll let you know. We'll see you in the morning."

Bobby hung up the phone and leaned back on the couch again. Nursing his scotch, he was left contemplating the case and his rage.

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Opening her eyes, Alex realized she was in her bed, without her shoes, and covered up. She smiled slightly, most of the ugliness of earlier pushed aside. Sometimes she thought Bobby Goren was too good to her. No matter what happened, he would always ultimately take care of her.

Forcing herself out of bed, she walked out of the room. She smelled fresh brewing coffee and eggs and bacon cooking. She was slightly confused. Looking outside and then at her watch, she realized she had slept through the night. It was then she noticed the blanket on the couch. She grimaced slightly, thinking of her poor partner trying to sleep on her couch. He was way too tall for that thing. She walked into the kitchen and spoke softly, "Hey."

Smiling slightly, Bobby was glad to hear her voice. Turning his attention from the eggs, he looked at her. He greeted her, "Morning. Breakfast is almost ready. I was about to go get you up. How are you?"

Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she tried to shake the thought of how normal this all seemed. She wouldn't and couldn't let herself go there. Trying to keep herself away from her feelings, she remarked, "I'm fine, really. Thank you for being here, but I can't believe you slept on that couch. Your back must be killing you. You're way too tall for that tiny sofa, loveseat thing I have."

Placing the last of the bacon on a plate and dabbing it with the paper towel, Bobby was slightly confused. He wasn't sure where else she thought he would sleep. He finally asked, "Well, where else would I sleep?"

Alex sat down, realizing how that might have sounded to him. She explained, "I mean. You could have gone home. Your bed would have been a hell of a lot more comfortable."

Bobby frowned. Splitting the bacon and eggs onto two separate plates, he replied, "I wasn't going to leave you here alone. Yesterday was not easy, and I didn't want you to be alone."

Alex closed her eyes and nodded. She understood. She shook her head and quipped, "Well, I guess I should have made it clear that I didn't expect you to suffer through that couch. You should left me there and taken the bed."

Bobby placed the plate in front of her and sat down across from her. He was looking at her like she was crazy. He shook his head vigorously. He admitted, "I. I couldn't have done that. I wouldn't. I wouldn't have…felt comfortable with that."

Alex smiled now. He was too chivalrous for his own good sometimes. She didn't dare think it was more. It couldn't be more. She let it go and changed the subject, "Alright. Thank you for cooking by the way."

Bobby met her eyes. He was searching to make sure she really was OK. Seeing that she seemed to be, he finally broached the subject, "Your mom, dad, and sister all called. I promised them you'd call them back, eventually. I called Deakins back. We're going to have to talk to IA today. It should be over quickly. It's an open and shut shooting."

Alex nodded. She agreed. She wasn't worried about it. It would be over fast. It was her only comfort. She sighed and finished her food. She decided to change the subject, again, "Well, how do you want to do this? I mean. You have to go home and change, and I need to change."

Bobby thought for a moment. Grabbing her plate, he took them both to the sink. He wasn't disappointed; Alex's eyes followed him to the sink. He suggested, "I can catch a cab, and you could come by and pick me up in an hour."

Alex watched, only slightly surprised, as he rinsed the dishes. She was amused by it, and she kept being distracted by the little nagging voice that was enjoying the domestic tranquility of it all. Trying to ignore it, she agreed, "That sounds like a plan."

Bobby ignored the slight sadness to her voice. There was no way either of them was going to let things go there. Well, when he let himself, he could picture it. He could see them happy. It looked a lot like this morning had gone so far. Course, that was about to change. In his mind, no one had to leave. They were both already home, but his fantasies and reality were two different things. There was no way either of them were going to cross that line. With a sigh, he put the dishes in the dish washer and agreed, "I left my stuff in your car and grab a cab."

Alex nodded her head. She faked a smile that she was hoping he didn't see through. She offered, "I guess I'll see you in an hour."

Bobby nodded. He hesitated, giving her another once over. He wasn't going to leave before knowing for sure she was alright. Satisfied, he walked out the door.

Alex took a couple of deep breaths before going to her bathroom. She definitely needed this shower. It had been a crazy twenty-four hours. She wanted to wash it all away, the horrible images of the blood and the wonderful images of Bobby Goren in her kitchen. The only thing she knew for sure was that she was irritated with herself. Leave it to her to shoot someone and add to the unspoken tension between her and Bobby. She was worried that one of these days they were going to cross the line, and then where would they be? Where would Bobby be? Alex knew good and well that his partnership with him was the only stable one he had ever had his whole career in the NYPD. She knew neither of them wanted to ruin that. Neither of them wanted new partners. It was the unspoken thing between them, but they both knew. They both understood. But now, things had suddenly shifted. How did things get so odd? As the warm water hit her, she mused it was the morning together, like this, that had done them both in. With a sigh, she knew. They were probably going to have to talk about what was going on between them. It wasn't a conversation she was looking forward too, and she knew Bobby wouldn't enjoy it either.