Spes Non Fracta.

Chapter 1

It had been a week since Goren had returned from his suspension.

A return that came with praise for his undercover work. It felt very good to be back.

Some difficult times were now over for him. He wasn't sure what was ahead of him, but at this moment, everything was good.

Eames, however, had not yet forgiven him for his subterfuge. She was still angry. Eames never said a lot, but when she did, she meant it.
Goren knew that he had hurt Alex badly, no matter who was right. He did not know what else he could do to ease her pain and restore their friendship.
There were some difficult moments as they had started to work together again. She sometimes avoided his company and she did not speak to him as freely as she once had. He missed that. What he did notice was when, occasionally, she would listen attentively to him or unconsciously move near him. He hung on to those moments. His best option was to wait and give her the respect she deserved. He didn't think anyone else in the squadroom noticed their problems. And if he tried to give Eames a few more smiles than he used to, well no one commented on it.

The captain had them clearing up the backlog. Goren loved it. Eames did not. Goren didn't really care that the paperwork was mostly routine. He was back at work. He had his badge. He had a purpose again. The challenging cases would come.
Every morning he would wait for Eames to arrive. If the Captain chanced to look at him, he would see a dedicated Goren concentrating on the paperwork in front of him. But Goren was not totally engaged with his work. He was also listening for the lift arriving. He could just hear it. It took Eames 6 seconds to come out of the lift and walk around the corner. He had trouble settling down until she arrived. Fingers would play irritatingly with pens, shuffle files and tap unknown rhythms on his desk.
He heard the lift. He heard small firm footsteps come his way. Goren glanced up, but he already knew who it was. He tilted his head slightly and gave her a warm smile.

"Good morning." he said softly.

"Hey" Alex replied over her shoulder, as she turned and hung her long coat on the hook. She sat at her desk without acknowledging him further and pulled her body in tight to the desk. She looked straight at him and brushed a strand of hair from her face. She focussed intently on his face before she smiled stiffly in return and pulled some files smoothly towards her. She was unable to pretend that everything was perfect, but she tried not to let it affect their work. She wanted them to be close partners again.

"How's the staple crisis going?"

Goren snorted. She was talking about yesterday. He knew she hated the paperwork. Yesterday's staple problems were not quite earth shattering stuff. She was ready for a new case. The paperwork was partly his fault, and Eames was suffering for it. Another reason for her to be angry. Ross was worried Goren had come back to soon and he didn't want Goren to 'go crazy'. Goren wasn't worried, he had never felt so calm in his life. He was good at his job and he was ready to prove it. The captain might have been worried about him working with Eames. Goren wasn't.

Goren followed through on her comment about the staples (yesterday's trivial drama). "The staples were found in Logan's drawer, along with all the women's magazines from the breakroom"

It was Alex's turn to snort. "Maybe he was looking for a new knitting pattern".

They looked at each other for a second as they shared the joke. A moment of remembered warmth. Then Eames opened her files and focussed her thoughts on the contents within. Goren smiled quietly to himself and continued with his report.

After an hour of working quietly side by side. Alex noticed the Captain stand up in his office and talk heatedly on the phone. His body language was aggressive, he glanced once out of his office straight at her and Goren. He made eye contact with her briefly and looked away. Ross turned his back on them and walked towards his window.

"Heads up" Alex warned quietly to Goren. "Something's happening and we're on the menu." She continued to eat her energy bar and kept her head low. Her hair hid any expression that may have crossed her face.

The only sign that Goren had heard her, was a small glance that he gave her across the desks. He was unable to stop the adrenalin rush. He bought his hand up to his mouth in a nervous gesture. " Calm down" he thought to himself.

Ross stormed out of his office and towards their desks. He stopped a few feet away as they both looked up. "Goren. My office. Now." He avoided Eames' enquiring expression, and turned and walked to his office without waiting for a reply.

Eames followed Ross's movements as he moved back to his office. She looked straight at Goren. "Lucky you " she commented, no smile on her face.

Goren cursed silently, but looked at her as he stood. He raised his hands and shoulders in a shrug. He didn't know what was happening either.

He lumbered slowly into Ross's office, and stood within the entrance. Large hands held loosely at his side.

"Shut the door" Ross said tersely, as he remained standing behind his desk.

"No prizes for good manners " Goren thought . He turned slightly and gently eased the door shut. He could not help the glance towards his partner. Eames had her head down again, her smooth blonde hair gracefully falling across her face as she studied something on her laptop. He closed the door.

Turning back to Ross, he put on a blank expression and waited,

Ross came straight to the point "How are you and Eames getting on?"

Goren was not surprised at the question, he knew Ross had been observing them both. He slowly nodded his head up and down "Good, good" .

Unseen at Goren's side, his hands moved restlessly.

Ross continued as though he hadn't heard him. "It's only been a week since you've returned. I'm not sure if either of you are ready to work a case together".

"No Captain, we're fine. We're ready for a case." Goren said hastily. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Well, I'm not ready to give you a case, but I have no choice. The Chief of D's has had a request from higher up for both of you to work this one".

Ross paused as though he was deciding something and shifted awkwardly on his feet. He placed his hands on his desk and leaned forward slightly. "But if I see any problems….. " He hesitated and stared intently at Goren . "Any problems….. I will pull you both off the case. Do you understand?" His hooded eyes searched Goren's face for any clues to his mental state of mind, but Goren looked calm.

"Yes sir", Goren said "Eames and I are good. We're ready"

"Okay, go get your partner and come back here." Ross sat down at his desk and immediately became engrossed in a thick file.

Goren turned slowly away. Ross was not going to give him any more information until he came back with Eames. He moved towards their desks and looked at Eames. Or rather, looked at her empty desk. She was gone.

He glanced around the room, Eames was nowhere in sight. He moved back into Ross's office. " Err … sir, Eames has just stepped out", Goren raised his left hand uncertainly towards the lifts. "I'll go get her"

Ross sighed at him in exasperation . " You said you were good? Where is she?"

Goren dropped his arm and stepped forward. "Umm…. coffee I think"

"Think ? You think? Well find out. You need to get to a crime scene. Hurry up and go get her."

"Yes, sir" Goren moved backwards as he pulled out his phone and called Eames.

He heard it ring, at the same time that he saw her. She was in the interview room.

She walked out holding a folder in her hand and putting her unanswered phone back in her pocket. "What? I can't leave my desk?"

"No. No, Eames. It's he captain, he needs to see us both." He should have turned back, but his curiosity compelled him forward. Goren moved behind her, back into the interview room. "What are you doing"

"Taking down crime scene photos on the Brink case now it's been resolved. I am allowed to do that without getting a pass card." Eames snapped. Then she felt embarrassed by her attack. She had the feeling that her anger was not really Bobby's fault. The captain was not helping. She tried to focus on Goren.

Goren, scanned the main room outside. No one could overhear them. "Ah, sure, I'm sorry. Look Eames ,….Alex. The captain has a case for us. I told him we were fine as a team. Are we..?" He left his question unfinished. His expression hopeful, he leaned forward slightly to hear her answer.

Alex looked up at him, her heart melted a little. She had missed him. She fiddled with the folder in her hand and glanced down. She objected "Are you sure you need me on it, I'm still finalising this paperwork."

For a few moments neither of them spoke.

Goren ran his hand through his tousled hair. Alex noticed how grey it had become. Why had she not noticed that before?

"Alex, please. I need you to work with me on this."

Alex sighed. This was crazy, she was crazy, they were a good team. He had been her best partner and the closest of friends.

She smiled tightly up at him. "We are fine and we are more than ready for a case."

He smiled hesitantly back down at her. It felt good to be back.

TBC.