Title: love is watching someone die
Pairing: Goren/Eames
Rating: R
Spoilers: between Endgame and Amends; spoilers for both
Disclaimer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent belongs to Dick Wolf, NBC et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: title from Death Cab For Cutie's What Sarah Said
Summary: He buries his mother four days before Mother's Day.
"After a loss, people ... well, they screw up."
- Goren, Amends.
*
He buries his mother four days before Mother's Day - buries her on a Thursday morning, and the sun's too bright, the day too warm
(it's too soon; too soon and somehow not soon enough).
*
He keeps his head still, doesn't turn to look for Frank, but Eames - Eames, in a black dress, her hair pinned back - sits silently beside him, her hand balled on her thigh, and her fingers twitch towards him
(but she doesn't touch him).
*
When they stand to leave, she grips the inside of her elbow - and, for a moment, he lets her; he doesn't have to watch her to know her face falls when he gently shakes her off, but he grabs her hand, clutches it hard, and she squeezes back.
*
He doesn't invite her up, and she doesn't ask; she follows him in and sits with him on the couch (he's been alone for the last three days - will be alone for the other four he has off - doesn't mind, or notice, the company).
She doesn't push, so he closes his eyes and tries to block everything out.
*
She rises from the couch carefully; "I'm going to make some coffee," she says, her voice low. "Do you ... do you want any?"
He opens his eyes, leans forward, shakes his head. "Eames," he says, helplessly, glancing up at her, and she steps closer - reaches out slowly, runs her fingers through his hair, fingernails scraping lightly against his scalp.
"Bobby," she says, softly (and it sounds so sad), and he catches her wrist, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand. He brings her hand closer to his mouth - slowly, slow enough for her to stop him - and presses his lips to the inside of her wrist; his eyes search hers and her forehead pinches.
"Eames," he says, again, and there's a pause before she laces her fingers with his
(she still looks troubled, still looks sad, but he doesn't want to know.)
*
He presses her into the couch, kisses her hard, and she's kissing him back, hand at the nape of his neck, and he arches his back to push her sad, black dress up her thighs
(it's too much; too much and somehow not enough).
end