Disclaimer:All of the characters are the property of Dick Wolf. I thank him, the writers, the directors and all the great actors who brought them "to life" for our benefit. Any "liberties" I have taken with them stems from my fond admiration (and a few personal quirks I will seek "help" for).
AN: This story is not set within the accepted "canon" for the characters as it is only officially portrayed by the TV series. So I get to "fool around" with them in ways in which they've never been seen, stretching that to the limit and suspending the "reality" that is "fiction" to start with…now there's a contradiction in terms!!!
(And yeah Goren I know the proper word for that is oxymoron…I told you that plate was hot from the oven…now maybe you'll listen once in a while)
Here are several things that prove once and for all…Bobby really is JUST like most other guys…
NOCTURNE"Peter!!" Bobby cried out. "Peter come back!!
"Rob?" A hand came from somewhere to touch him. "Rob wake up" said a female voice
"Huh?" he startled awake. "What? What's wrong baby?"
"Nothing with me" said the soft voice as a warm hand reached for him. "You were dreaming"
"Was I?" he rubbed his eyes and squinted at the clock. The luminous figures said 11.56pm. He could only have been asleep ten or fifteen minutes. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"
"I didn't go to sleep yet" she yawned, her cheek by then resting against his chest and her hand stroking his side. "You went out like a light. Next thing you are tossing around and yelling"
"Ugh!" he groaned softly as he shifted against her. "I was cold and wet and I think I was drowning. Which is sort of weird since I can swim"
"Even good swimmers drown Rob. And you were yelling for someone called Peter"
Bobby felt himself twitch slightly at the mention of that name as an awkward "Oh" came unbidden from his lips.
"Who do you know called Peter anyhow?" she asked as he pulled back round them the bedclothes "his" side of the bed, he must have disturbed as he thrashed around.
"No-one" he said. "Not anymore"
"But you did?"
"Uhuh. Long time ago" he conceded as he cuddled her to him "When I was a kid"
"A very long time ago then" she teased him gently. "So who was he Rob?"
"I'd rather not say"
"You come in from work very late. Again. Swallow a dinner so dry by then it's the sort of thing they supply to the Space Shuttle and fall asleep in the bath. Then, when you do make it to bed, you pass out and snore to Olympic qualifying standard for five minutes before I'm ducking to avoid a black eye" she said tartly. "I think that qualifies me for some explanation"
Bobby lay there for a few seconds in no position to contest what she said. Another time he might take issue over the snoring, subject to independent verification of course, but he was fast learning when, in the relationship stakes, he didn't really have a leg to stand on. Probably better to give in gracefully.
"He was one of my best friends when I was a kid" he said quietly. "Probably the best. We went everywhere together. Did everything together. He was Tonto to my Lone Ranger and I was Robin to his Batman. We fought the Brits in the War of Independence, saved the fleet at Pearl Harbour with our bravery and of course, as a battery team won the Mets five World Series"
"Oh that's sweet" she said as he sensed her justifiable irritation with him lessen and her body relax more against him. "I'm glad you had a friend like that Rob"
"Me too" he shifted and turned slightly towards her. "You know things at home were pretty tough at times. Things you don't like other kids to know in case you get teased or picked on. Peter wasn't like that. He saw a lot of went on with my father and was there when I needed someone to tell my troubles to. Shed a few tears with"
"So what happened?"
"We were on the Staten Island ferry one day. With my Mom. I guess I was five. She was inside and Peter and I were on the rear deck. We knew we weren't supposed to climb on the rails at the side but he did. I told him he should come down" he shook his head. "But he fell over and into the water"
"Oh shit" she breathed. "You yelled for help right?"
"No. I guess I was just stunned. Or scared I'd be in trouble for letting him do it"
"And he drowned?" she asked fearfully.
"I guess. Last I saw looking through the rails was the wash sucking him under the rear of the boat. I have a feeling maybe…well…that maybe he got caught up in the propellers and got chewed up. I never saw him come up again"
She propped herself on her elbow with a frown. "But they searched right? When they found out he was missing? Found a body or something? Hellfire Rob! Surely your Mom raised the alarm when she realised he was gone?" Her indignation was rising.
"No" he shook his head. "She said it was pointless when I told her what happened. Was nothing anyone could do"
"You must be remembering this wrong" she snorted. "You were only five"
"I'm not" Bobby insisted. "Of course there is one thing I think I left out. Peter was a teddy bear I developed an odd attachment to after I threw my Snuggles Blanky out of my stroller under a subway train"
There was a long silence during which time she looked down at him. Her face was expressionless and unmoving.
"I hope Rob" she said softly. "You haven't yet developed an attachment to your testicles. Because you might just wake to find them on the pillow in the morning"
She turned away and her back to him. With a muttering he wasn't sure might not be an incantation of some kind of spell would make that come true. Trouble was, she'd cast one over him some months ago he didn't want to be broken. He risked it. Turned and cuddled up to her.
"I'm sorry baby" he murmured his lips brushing the side of her neck. His fingers wandered over her hip to her naval, as his mouth took a slow stroll to her shoulder and back again.
"That had better be your gun you are sticking in my back" she hissed.
"Uhuh" he lied. "Give me a bit longer and I might even have it loaded"
AN : It turned out later (too late in one respect) that that Bobby never had a "Blanky" either…but he fully intends to get one for the baby due on 6th February 2008