Title: Niflheim

Authors: RivErStaR and Sylphide

Rating: PG-13 to R with possibly some M15+ thrown in for good measure

Summary: There is not enough darkness in the world to extinguish the light of one small candle.

Disclaimer: Well I'm sure the majority of you out there know that neither Syl nor myself own anything remotely Law and Order: Criminal Intent. But for those of you out there who don't know, I'll elaborate a little. The names, events and whatever else isn't original here in this story belong to the people who really do own it (those lucky bastards!!!). We will however claim the plot, and whatever else we make up so yeh, I have now put a copyright on them. Steal them and you're dead ( As to which one of us owns what part, that's entirely up to us to argue about. And whilst we are arguing, that does not mean you have the right to "borrow" this in any way shape or form. Just because Syl and I are arguing over who owns what does not mean that you are free to do as you wish with our story (however if you feel the need to print this out and use it to practice your origami skills then go right ahead. Just don't sell them once you're done!!!). Ok I think I'm done here. Not like people read these things anyway. WHICH YOU SHOULD I MIGHT ADD!!!!!!!!!!

Authors' Notes:

RivErStaR: Well Syl, I've finally done it. Completed the first chapter and yes it is about time. I am totally honoured to be writing this fic with you and you deserve as much credit as what I get. I certainly couldn't have done this without you. It was your fic Lost which got me so hooked in fic writing in the first place and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart (even tho it's not a very deep place LOL).

Those of you reading this might be wondering what 'Niflheim' means and where we got it. Well, Syl gets the credit for finding such a wonderful name and I'll get her to add an A/N to tell you what it means coz she will be able to define it better than me. As for the summary, that was purely mine. The quote I have used is an Old Spanish Proverb and as to how it relates to this fic, well that's for you readers to use your imagination. After discussing it, both Syl and I agree that it is quite fitting and we hope that you think so too. So now on to the story and we both hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I've had fun writing this chapter. Thank goodness I get a break now. The next chapter is yours Syl, so have fun.



Sylphide: Why, thank you, Amy. I am honoured to be writing this fic with a fine writer like RivErStaR (better known to me as Amy). She's excellent and I am proud to be writing with her. We were so excited that we even created a new account (hehe, see?) for this occasion. First off, I'd like it to be known that the original idea for this plotline is Amy's. On MSN, she was telling me all about it and we kept on throwing different twists for the fic out there. I was happy about the fic as it sounded interesting. I was so eager to read it, but Amy asked me if I'd like to co-write with her, because the ideas for the fic were both of ours and I knew just as much about it as she did. I was honoured and said yes, of course. (If I had said no, would we be here?) Now, onto the important part. "Niflheim", in Norse Mythology, is the realm of freezing mist and darkness. Amy and I discussed the title and we think that it relates to the fic. However, truly, that's for you to decide. Enjoy!



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Detective Robert Goren woke unusually late on Tuesday morning November 24. As he slowly opened and focused his blurry blue eyes on the glowing red digits of his alarm clock, the time it read did not compensate for the amount of sunlight that should have been steaming through this bedroom window. He pushed the sheets of his body and stood up. Before he could reach his window to look out however, a loud clap of thunder answered all his unspoken questions. Following the deafening rumble Goren realised that he could hear not only the thunder, but also heavy rain and small cubes of hail accompanying the storm. Sure enough winter was on its way and by the sound of things, so was the first snowfall of the season.

Glancing sideways at his clock once more, he decided that if he was going to punctually roll up at work, he had better really get his arse into gear. Showering, dressing and breakfasting, (and yes a cup of coffee is considered to be breakfast these days by numerous people around the world), in record time, Bobby was in his car and on his way in just over ten minutes. His way to work however wasn't at all as speedy as he would have liked. Just as luck would have it, he was stopped at every red light along the way and taking the back streets only caused more grief as he got caught in a fender bender on one narrow street corner. Finally one hour and sixteen minutes later Goren arrived at the elevator in the One Police Plaza lobby. He waited a further minute before the doors finally opened. Just as he was about to step in, he collided with a petite feminine body.

"Bobby," the woman said. It was his partner detective Eames. As they untangled their jumble of limbs and regained composure she continued. "Where on earth have you been? I tried calling you and got an engaged signal and your mobile is switched off and I was just on my way over to check on you. Are you ok?"

Goren looked at his partner. He could not only hear the concern in voice but saw it etched over her facial features and glowing in her eyes too.

"I'm fine Eames," he told her. "Just had a lousy start to the day that's all." However seeing his partner brightened any bad day.. not that he'd tell her that though.

Accepting his answer Alex nodded her but grimaced at the information she now had to pass on to her partner. It was not something that would indeed lighten his mood and make his day more cheerful.

"Well I've got some bad news actually," she started. "This case we've just been given is a real 'no go.'" She looked at Bobby who just urged her to continue. So taking a deep breath, she did just that. "Double homicide in Federation Square and the rain has washed away any evidence we were going to find. There was even nothing left on the bodies for us to examine and to put it bluntly, it's going to be hell to try and solve this one."

"It'll be a cinch, Eames, a real piece of cake with extra thick frosting," he told her with an excess amount of sarcasm thrown in for good measure. This day of his was not getting any better and not thinking he asked the ultimate doozie of a question. "Well this day can't get any worse can it? Nothing else can go wrong today."

Not normally superstitious Alex groaned and rolled her eyes at him. "You've done it now Goren," she informed him. "You've gone and jinxed us all. Well done." She got a shiver down her spine --- for everyone knows that when you say things like that, things always seem to go from bad to worse. However, not being able to so anything about it, she decided to change the subject. "Come on Goren we'd better go before Deakins has our heads. Well yours anyway, since I was on time." She laughed. It was fun to push his buttons and well, she just knew which ones to push.

Smirking at her joke, Bobby reached across her front and pushed the button for the elevator once again. After what seemed like forever, the elevator never came so impatiently; he hurried up the fire escape. Following, Eames couldn't help but have another dig at his jinx.

"See I told you that you've now jinxed us all," she gibed. Although she knew full well why the elevator wasn't working. It was being repaired and she had used all her 'charm' to talk the repairmen into letting her use it down. Not that she'd tell him that because she was having so much damn fun teasing him. In fact she was so caught up in her teasing that she bumped into Bobby who had stopped some five floors up. Her petit form started to fall backward and she would have landed back on ground level all battered and bruised and possibly dead if Bobby hadn't turned and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt.

"Hey careful," he warned. "You really should pay extra attention to things whilst being on a staircase. Or are you trying to be the first person in history to fall down these stairs?" Goren smiled at his remark, as he was extremely pleased he was given the opportunity to pay her back for earlier, however Eames obviously wasn't impressed as she gently shoved passed him and continued up the stairs without saying a word.



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Deakins sat in his office staring out at his two best detectives' vacant desks. From what he'd seen so far, he knew on impulse that something was wrong. Goren had not yet shown up for work and Eames' mad dash towards the elevator some five minutes earlier had not eased his thoughts.

Knowing that he has a knack for disregarding authority and getting himself in trouble with Carver, Deakins shrugged his shoulders and gave Goren the benefit of the doubt... and, another ten minutes. Leaning back in his semi comfortable reclining office chair, Deakins closed his eyes and reminisced the previous year and a bit; more specifically the arrival of one Alexandra Eames.

He thought back to the time where he remembered watching the new paired duo like a hawk until he was absolutely certain their newly formed partnership was running like clockwork. Now however he laughed at his stupidity for he could not believe that he hadn't realised how the two were instantly 'attracted' to one another like sodium and chlorine. They hit it off so well in fact that one would have assumed they were indeed joined by ionic bonds. Even now they are inseparable and although he still keeps an eye on them both occasionally, Deakins has let up somewhat.

Hearing a soft rap on his door shook Deakins out of his reverie. He quickly opened his eyes and focused them on the door before once again resuming his upright position. "Enter," he said firmly.

The door opened and in waltzed one very late detective Goren and Eames followed. Not giving Deakins a chance to say a word Bobby immediately started explaining his lateness.

"Look I know I'm late and all but..." That was as far as he got because Deakins interrupted him in mid sentence.

"It's fine Goren," he said. "Just don't let it happen again. Now Eames has brought you up to speed with your new case hasn't she?"

Glancing at his partner, Goren nodded and replied, "You mean the Federation Square double homicide with no evidence case?"

"Yes that case," Deakins answered him smiling at the detective's last comment. "Well you can both forget about it because about ten minutes ago I received a phone call from the commissioners office and he's handed it over to Special Victims. Apparently one of the victims was brutally raped and beaten so now the case is their problem so the can deal with the lack of evidence. In the meantime, the two of you are behind with your paperwork. Use this 'free time' to get it done."

Eames inwardly groaned and rolled her eyes at Bobby who caught her look. It was common knowledge that the pair both hated paperwork with a passion and Deakins too knew this. So upon seeing her not so subtle reaction he continued.

"I want it finished by the end of shift today," he told them both. "Understand?"

Goren and Eames nodded their head simultaneously, turned around and left the Captain's office totally annoyed at their current situation.



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"He is such a slave driver," Eames complained to Bobby once they were out of Deakins' earshot. "It's times like these I wish I had an assistant to do all this for me. I'd gladly pay someone to file it all. I swear it's the worst part of the job."

Goren smirked at her and saw this as yet another opportunity to have a go at her. "Good thing I have you as a partner then isn't it. You know, as someone to do all my paperwork?" he heckled whilst winking at her.

Alex's head snapped round as what Bobby had just said to her registered in her brain. It totally sent her flying off the handle. "You think I'm here to do all your paperwork?" she yelled at him. "Just you wait and see. I'm nobody's aide and I refuse to be yours so you can just take your work and shove it. Unless of course you were planning in giving me your salary as well?"

Bobby was speechless. For once Eames had totally stumped him and he had managed to dig a grave for himself in the process. He really did not know how to reply without digging the hole deeper and his silence only fuelled Eames on further.

"I thought not," she said referring to previous question. "I'm going outside to get some fresh air." Alex, still fuming, stalked off towards the exit only to stop, turn and add, "And don't bother following me either." And with that, she was gone.



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Sitting down at his desk, Bobby sighed. 'I'm really going to have to learn to keep my big mouth shut,' he thought. 'But hell, she's just so fun to stir up and it's even better when I get a small reaction however I wasn't expecting that.' He sighed again and looked to where Eames had stormed out.

Still staring, he sighed for a third time, for according to Irish lore the number three was very important. Bobby cared for Alex a lot as a friend and he would do anything to protect her and keep their friendship intact. He knew, as did Alex, that he would never intentionally hurt her and he hoped that once she her temper had cooled somewhat, that she'd realise that he was kidding and meant nothing by his stupid comment. And he really didn't mean anything by it either. Eames had proved time and time again to be an excellent detective and partner. Bobby never had to tell her where his investigations were leading them, as she was always quick to follow and catch on to his wacky ideas. They were on the same wavelength like that. And another thing, she might sometimes get squicked out at crime scenes when he felt the need to poke and prod the dead bodies but she had never once let it interfere with her work. This was just another quality Goren admired in his partner since he's seen numerous greenhorns empty the entire contents of the stomachs at the sight of the most microscopic droplet of blood. No, Alex wasn't like that and in his eyes, she was indeed the best partner he could have asked for.

However it was here his thoughts stopped as the annoying persistent ringing of his phone interrupted him. Taking half a second to compose himself Goren picked up the receiver and answered. "Goren," he said to the unidentified caller.

"Ah Detective Goren hello hello," said the eerie deep booming voice on the other end. "I suspect you don't remember me so I'll let you guess."

Before answering Goren tried to identify the caller with no luck. "Who are you and why have you called me."

"Come on Robert, you can do better than that," the voiced mocked him. "I'm not someone you'd forget easily."

"Well why don't you drop me some hints to try and jog my failing memory," Bobby incited.

The voice on the other end chuckled evilly. "How's work treating you?" the caller asked having obviously decided that two could play this game of twenty questions. "How are you getting on with your new partner? What's it been Robert, a year?"

Goren gasped. The caller had just identified himself and he was right, he was most definitely someone Bobby would never forget. "Lars Fenaisyn," he whispered into the phone.

"Congratulations detective," the now identified caller boomed into the phone. "You've just one the cutlery set, do you want to try for the microwave?"

"Why the hell are you calling me Fenaisyn?" Bobby asked. Although his brain already knew the answer, he'd dealt with this man too much in the past and Lars was here to gloat about his next move, which scared the living daylights out of Bobby.

"You're the smart one detective," Fenaisyn teased. "You figure this one out."

"Why don't you just come after me you coward and leave my partners alone," he said, his voice strong and demanding.

Once again Goren heard Lars' evil laugh as he replied, "I'm going to get you where it hurts most Robert and the best part about it? You can do nothing to stop me. So tell me, who is this new partner of yours? I've been most anxious to meet him."

"You sick bastard Lars," Bobby growled. "You're not going to kill anyone else and I'm going to make sure of that this time. I'll have you locked up for the rest of your miserable life."

A loud snort and muffled laughter was heard as a reply to Goren's statement. "I've managed to evade you and the entire NYPD for the past five or so years. You'll not catch me ever Robert and I'm going to keep this up for the rest of your miserable career and there's nothing you or anyone can do to stop me."

Silence filled the conversation before Bobby realised he had been disconnected. He could do nothing but sit in a stunned silence for once again, Lars Fenaisyn had entered his life. However this time it was far worse. He had to catch this guy at whatever price it took. Alex's life depended on it.

'Oh my God, Alex!' he thought as he stood up. The force of his movement sent his chair flying. In his haste to protect his partner, Bobby barely noticed. He raced towards Deakins' office with fear radiating from his face like the energy emitted from U-235. Upon reaching his boss' office, he barged in.

"We need to talk," he demanded. "Now!"



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A/N 1: Well that's it from me this time. The next chapter will be all Syl. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I really hope it's good enough. Personally I like this one, but I'll let you decide. So please read and reply. No flames but if you want to supply me with criticism make it constructive please. Only then does it help me improve. Oh and for the record, this is my first time writing a CI fic (and no that doesn't mean you have to be very gentle in the replies - just don't make them flames!!!)

2: In case my little simile about the sodium, chlorine and ionic bonds didn't make sense I'll try and explain it here without giving you too much confusing chemistry babble. An ionic bond is formed when a non-metal (in this case chlorine) bonds with a metal (sodium) to create a compound. In this example sodium bonds with chlorine to become sodium chloride and the bonds here are pretty strong. As for my U-235 (Uranium-235) thing, I'm sure you can work it out. If not, go buy a chemistry text book and look it up.

Sylphide: I did not write this chappie, since I am writing the next one, but I have to say --- it's great! I loved it! Did I tell you that Amy's great or what? Anyway, reviews! Reviews! I hope you all were excited to read this fic when you heard we were writing it. I know my protégé, Soph, mentioned something. Anyway, I hope you all are happy these days (pray for a peaceful world) and I'll see you next chappie! (By the way, if you flame Amy (aka RivErStaR), you've got to be crazy! This chappie was WONDERFUL!