(gasp) Story number 85! Just fifteen more to go, bunnies! Woo hoo!! (dances around) I got the idea for this a little while back, after sitting on a bus and rediscovering the great Bonnie Raitt song Something To Talk About, and this came to me! So enjoy, and please don't forget to review, bunnies!
Disclaimer: I wished on a star for them, but all I got was mind reading abilities... What a gyp!
This chapter is for everyone who knows that the rumors about our favorite detectives aren't just rumors!
Mike watched as the mountain of a detective walked across the cold floor of the squad room, two cups of coffee in his hands and a smile that widened when he saw his partner. Bobby walked up to his partner and stood behind her, and she murmured her thanks as he handed her the cup of coffee. He watched with peaked interest as Bobby lingered behind Alex for a few moments before finally taking his own seat.
Carolyn noticed her partner watching Bobby and Alex, and she rolled her eyes and wadded a ball of paper up, then threw it at Mike, hitting him in the chest. He stared blankly at her for a moment, then lowered himself into his chair, smiling when his foot brushed against her leg.
"So, you think they're sleeping together yet?" Mike whispered after several minutes of rare silence. She looked up at him, then shook her head and sighed in exasperation before returning to her paperwork.
Across the room, Alex raised her head and looked across her desk at Bobby, and a smile curved her lips as he stared at the computer, for all appearances deep in thought. She leaned forward, knowing that the movement would not go unnoticed by him, and he glanced at her. "You know, I'll bet they're talking about us," she whispered, motioning discreetly to Mike and Carolyn, who were whispering and glancing in their direction.
Bobby glanced over at the other detectives and raised one dark eyebrow. "That wouldn't surprise me a bit," he murmured, and Alex chuckled and leaned back in her chair, tucking her hands behind her head.
People are talkin', talkin' 'bout people
I hear them whisper, you won't believe it
They think we're lovers kept under cover
I just ignore it but they keep sayin' we
Laugh just a little too loud
Stand just a little too close
We stare just a little too long
Maybe they're seein' somethin' we don't, darlin'
Mike watched in amusement as, at the end of the day, Bobby and Alex both rose from their chairs and grabbed the jackets, and his smile widened as Bobby's hand came to rest on the small of Alex's back as he guided her out of the precinct. He shook his head in mild amusement as the definition of odd couple walked out of the building, then he moved to stand beside Carolyn.
"Knock it off, Mike," she threatened, not even removing her eyes from the file in front of her. He chuckled throatily at the playfulness in her warning, but incurring the smaller woman's wrath was not very appealing, no matter how playful she seemed. So he lingered at her side for a few more moments, then reclaimed his seat, sighing as he propped his feet up on the desk.
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It was raining lightly as Alex guided the black SUV down the road, her attention occasionally straying from the task at hand to contemplate the brooding man sitting beside her, only an arm's length away. She wasn't an idiot. She knew the rumors that were circulating around the precinct about her and Bobby, about how the only reason she stuck around was because they were sleeping together.
But she ignored the ignorant gossip, because only she ever around him enough to know that he was an amazing person, and that is why she had stayed. In him, she had found more than just a partner. She had found a friend, a confidant, and so much more than she had ever expected to find in any man other than her father and the man she had once called her husband. There was little that he didn't know about her, and she had almost completely succeeded in breaking down all of the walls he had so carefully constructed to protect his vulnerable and fragile heart.
Little did she know, on the other side of the vehicle, Bobby was thinking nearly the same thing about her. He too had heard the rumors, and while he didn't care what anyone said about him, he worried about what they said or insinuated about her. She was, after all, the only person who had managed to put up with him for nearly seven years. He wasn't about to let some loudmouth morons drag her through the mud. He wondered if she knew about the things they said about them, about why she had stayed.
"You know, everyone down at the precinct thinks we're having sex." Her statement was so blunt and random that he choked on the air in his lungs, and she looked at him with concern.
"Yeah, I know," came his muttered reply, and to his surprise, he felt her small hand come to rest on his leg and squeeze it gently. He looked up at her, and she smiled at him reassuringly, her eyes saying everything that she couldn't. And for the rest of the ride, the only sound that could be heard was the raindrops against the windshield, mingled with the sounds of their breathing.
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He walked up with her to her apartment door, and was pleasantly surprised when she held the door open for him to come inside with her. He followed her inside and automatically shed his coat, hanging it on his designated hook on her coat hanger. She slipped out of her shoes and jacket, then walked into her bedroom, and he sat down on the couch to wait for her to come out.
In her bedroom, Alex sighed and leaned on the door for a few moments, trying to think and keep her breathing steady at the same time. She knew that they both knew about the circulating rumors, but what she didn't know was if Bobby had ever wanted to take their friendship further. Truth be told, she didn't even know if she wanted to make it more. But lately, she had felt something different between them. She could just feel it, and the subtle differences in the both of them. His smiles were appearing more and more, and he was really starting to come out of his own self imposed shell. But what she noticed most were the things that had, in the past, meant nothing were holding more and more meaning to her. She was starting to appreciate the little things on a deeper level: his smile, his eyes, all of his strange little quirks. And she never considered herself to be a romantic, but there was just something, something that she couldn't quite put a finger on.
She opened her eyes, then shook her head and quickly changed into a t-shirt and blue jeans before walking back out of her bedroom to join her partner.
He quickly rose to his feet when she walked into the living room, his hand automatically going to the back of his neck. Alex sighed as she recognized his tell that he was either apologetic or contemplating something deep about a case, and she was in no mood to hear either of the two.
"Eames, about those rumors," he started with a small amount of stuttering. "They've just got me thinking, and I was wondering…" His gaze dropped down to his feet, and she stepped forward and used one of his own tricks to regain his attention. She tilted her head to the side, returning it to its original position when his eyes fell on her and followed her movements.
"What, Bobby?" she asked, keeping her voice even so she didn't give away her irritation at his shyness.
"Why did you stay with me?" he finally mumbled, and her jaw dropped a little as she rubbed the back of her own neck. After several seconds of opening and shutting her mouth, she finally grabbed his hand and led him to the couch, sitting down beside him as she continued to try to find an answer to his question. Finally she looked him dead in the eye and said the only thing that would come to her mind. "I stayed… because I love you, Bobby."
A light flush colored both of their cheeks as Bobby's jaw fell, and she instantly regretted her words. "That's not… I mean, I meant- oh God," she moaned, falling back against the couch.
"What did you mean, then?" he asked softly, and she opened one hazel eye to look at him skeptically.
"I mean… I don't even know what I mean." His eyes darkened, and she mentally cursed herself at her own stupidity. What had she just done? His features were unreadable, but she knew that they both knew she had crossed a line, and there was no going back.
She knew it, or was more aware of it, and being the brave (or stupid, she hadn't quite decided) woman that she was, she decided to lay everything out on the table, and hope for the best. She licked her lips, then looked him dead in the eye, and she stated, "I love you, Bobby." Then she jumped over the edge and leaned forward, brushing her lips lightly against his.
He hesitated for a moment, his body stiff with surprise. But he closed his eyes and gently parted her lips with his tongue, exploring her warm, coffee laced breath. Her arms went around his neck, but as he gently pushed her down against the arm of the couch, alarm bells went off in his mind. This was Eames. His partner, coworker, and best friend. What was he doing? Was he really willing to risk six years of the best friendship he had ever known for one kiss? He quickly made up his mind. Breaking the kiss, he looked down at her with sorrow and guilt etched in his features.
"I'm sorry, Eames," he stuttered breathlessly, and she watched in misery as he climbed off of the couch and grabbed his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as he opened the door. "I can't do this. I'm sorry," he muttered again, and before she could stop him, he darted out of her apartment, leaving her cold and hurting.
Shutting the door behind himself, Bobby leaned against the door, then slowly sank to the dirty floor, hiding his face in his hands. What had he just done? The woman he loved more than anything had just offered him everything he had ever wanted, and he had ran, again.
Stupid, he mentally berated himself. Idiot. Not only did you just ruin your friendship, you might have just lost Eames for good. Brilliant move, genius.
He swiped his hand over his face and sighed deeply as Alex's words played over and over again in his mind. She loved him. She had revealed her deepest secret, and he had thrown it back in her face. Yes, he had effectively screwed himself. Dread curled in his lower stomach as he realized that she would probably request a partner switch to protect herself from any more pain. Not that he could blame her.
He turned his head to look at her door, and a tear stung his eye at the thought of Alex leaving him. It would just be too much.
On her couch, Alex cried into her arms as she replayed the entire scene over and over again in her mind. Why had she said anything? Why couldn't she have just kept her big mouth shut and gone on being his partner and friend? Why wasn't that good enough?
She shuddered and scrubbed furiously at her red rimmed eyes. She had to do something to fix all of this, and to get her partner back. So she rose up off of her couch and grabbed her jacket, yanking her arms through the sleeves as she rehearsed what she would say to him when she found him.
She shoved her feet into her sneakers, then took a deep breath and flung the door open, shrieking and jumping back when Bobby fell into her apartment with a thud and a groan. "Jesus, Goren. You trying to give me a heart attack?" she demanded as he rose to his feet and rubbed his head.
He looked at his diminutive, feisty partner who stood in front of him, and everything from his mind was gone except the two of them, and the fact that they could make it. They were Goren and Eames, but tonight, now, they were just Bobby and Alex. And he smiled as he realized that he loved the sound of that. Bobby and Alex. Just two people who had been very much in love with the other for years, and were just now realizing what everyone else around them knew all along.
Finally he understood why everyone said what they said, and he abandoned all caution and stepped forward, taking her into his arms and kissing her for all he was worth.
She was the first to break the kiss, and she fingered his tie and looked up into his heart melting chocolate eyes. "Let's really give them something to talk about," she whispered, giving him a tender kiss before walking back to her bedroom.
He stared at her in confusion, until the meaning of her words dawned on him, and his lips curved into a slow and sexy grin that melted Alex's heart. He took off after her, and she giggled and ran into the bedroom, with him right behind her.
Let's give them something to talk about
Let's give them something to talk about
Let's give them something to talk about
How about love?
Both Mike and Carolyn watched as Bobby and Alex walked into the squadroom, their smiles wide and their banter light as they walked over to their desks. Neither of them failed to notice that the dynamic duo was nearly an hour late, and that they had both arrived at the same time.
No one within ear shot or with vision missed the way that they flirted more than usual, or the looks they were giving each other when they thought no one else was looking.
Finally at lunch, Bobby guided Alex out of the room with his hand on her shoulder, and once they were gone, Mike looked at Carolyn with an amused smirk on his handsome features. He stared at her without saying a word, until she sighed and threw her pen down, her eyes rising to meet his.
"Okay, Mike, out with it," she ordered, and he laughed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. She leaned forward to hear what he was about to say. He glanced around, then, satisfied that no one was looking, he brushed his lips against hers briefly, grinning as she closed her eyes and moaned softly.
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She was laying in her bed, drifting in and out of a light slumber when she heard her bedroom door open, and she grinned and pretended to be sleeping. She listened as he kicked off his shoes and shed his jacket, then his pants. The bed dipped downward, and she felt him gather her into his arms and pull her back against his front.
She was about to roll over and kiss him senseless when she felt him tremble, and she realized that he was shaking and muttering to himself. She was aware that he had gone to visit his mother, and she reached the conclusion that this had been a particularly bad day for the older woman. He shuddered again and buried his face in her hair, and she marveled at how his shaking gradually faded, and his breathing evened out.
Once she was certain that he had calmed down, she slowly turned in his arms to face him, her arms going around his waist as she gently kissed him. "You okay, Bobby? Do you want to talk about it?" she murmured as she brushed her thumb along his jaw, and she was surprised to see tears in his soft brown eyes.
He shook his head and buried his face in her shoulder, and she sighed and ran her fingers through his thick hair, softly kissing his neck. She realized that it was going to be one of those nights, so she tightened her arms around his large frame and snuggled close to him, knowing that it would comfort him.
She waited until he was soundly sleeping in her arms before she closed her own eyes. God, I love this man, she thought as their hearts continued to beat together in a perfect rhythm.
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Mike was sleeping soundly in his large bed when the sound of the door creaking open alerted him to a new presence in the room. He heard a muffled curse, then the sound of shoes hitting the floor as the foot of the bed dipped beneath her weight.
She eased herself up to the head of the bed and climbed under the covers, making Mike gasp as she wrapped her nearly frozen body around him. He rolled over and started to rub her arms and back, muttering, "You're freezing."
She shivered and buried her face in his chest. "It was snowing out there," she mumbled sleepily, and he shook his head and drew her into his arms, continuing to rub his body heat into her.
She was silent for a while, and Mike was certain that she had fallen asleep, and was about to fall asleep himself when she whispered, "I love you, Mike."
He froze at her whispered confession. He had never been in a relationship long enough for a woman to really love him, and he had always ran whenever he thought he might be falling for a woman. He couldn't help it. It was just something that he had to do, that he had always done. He was Mike Logan, Detective First Grade at the prestigious Major Case Squad. He didn't need anyone.
So, why wasn't he running?
I feel so foolish, I never noticed
You act so nervous, could you be falling for me?
It took a rumor to make me wonder
Now I'm convinced that I'm going under
Thinkin' 'bout you every day
Dreamin' 'bout you every night
I'm hopin' that you feel the same way
Now that we know it, let's really show it, darlin'
Let's give them something to talk about
A little mystery to figure out
Let's give them something to talk about
How about love?
As usual, Bobby and Alex were the first to show up for work Monday morning, with Mike and Carolyn not too far behind them. They all took their seats, but there was something different about them. And everyone that looked at them could see it.
Deakins was getting his coffee when he overheard two of his other detectives talking, and he almost laughed at what was being said.
"Well, it looks like Logan and Barek finally got over themselves."
"Sure looks like it. Maybe they took the hint from Goren and Eames. God knows how long they've been sleeping together."
Deakins nearly spit out his mouthful of coffee, and he swallowed and looked at his detectives. Yes, there was definitely something different about them, but were they really sleeping together?
Do I really want to know? he wondered as he chuckled and walked back into his office with his coffee.
Alex looked up from her paperwork and smiled at her partner. He smiled back at her, and they returned to their files in front of them, both of them wearing ridiculous grins for the rest of the day.
Let's give them something to talk about, baby
A little mystery to figure out
Let's give them something to talk about
How about love?
Let's give them something to talk about
How about our love?
How about love?
How about it, darling?
How about love?
How about love?
The End
A/N: Now, that one was one of the more fun ones I've gotten to write. Hope ya'll enjoyed it! I'm off to write fifteen more stories and break my 100 story goal!