"Why are you acting this way? Bobby, I only-"

"Eames, I don't want to hear it!"

This had not been the only fight in the Major Case squad this week. Alex was near sick of it- she had only told him about his defensiveness lately and now he seemed in cahoots with anger; she hadn't seen him this angry for months. Well, two can play at this game.

"Goren, you are officially being a pain in the ass!"

"Detectives!" Ross pushed open the doors of his office. "In my office. Now." Bobby shoved past her and through the screened door. Alex walked dutifully behind, always the strong one. He can be such a dick, she thought, walking in knowing there was going to be trouble.

Ross sat down at his desk, rubbing his temples. He was clearly not in the mood to deal with this right now. "Is this why I brought you back from suspension Goren? So you could bring this office down to a new low? Give me a good reason why you should stay."

Oh no, thought Alex, he's going to say something stupid. Then I'll have to bail him out again. It never used to be like this. He used to give a damn.

"I don't know why I'm acting like this," he said with meaning that almost made Alex jump out of her seat. He never admitted that he was wrong before, not like this. "I shouldn't have blown up like that."

That kind of behavior seemed to take the captain by surprise too. "Well," he said, seeming not to know how to respond, "just…make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It won't."

He stood up with dignity and walked straight through the office doors. Alex was stunned, but got up anyway and headed out. "Wait a second, Eames. I need to talk to you."

Alex stepped back and sat down, bracing her self for the inevitable. "Captain, I really don't-"

"Yes, you do." He looked at her hard as if trying to understand a deeper meaning than she could see. "It seems that your relationship with Goren has become…strained. I really don't know what to do with him, and it seems, unfortunately, that he doesn't know what to do with you."

He sighed, then spoke in a hard tone, "If you two can't act professionally I will have to reassign him- or you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Good." He switched back into case mode. "Now, you know the situation. Kristen Ager was abducted from her home two weeks ago. She was last seen making food for her five year old, who was found dead on the kitchen floor."

"We dug around and found some leaflets at her clinic," Alex said.

"You know that an abortionist doesn't have many God fearing fans. I want you two to stake out the clinic and see if there is any suspicious activity."

"But sir-"

"Remember what I said Eames. I was not joking."

"Yes sir," Alex sighed. She rose from her seat and left through the door. Walking towards Goren's desk, she thought about going back to Ross' office and a.k.-ing their partnership…at least temporarily. Unfortunately, she knew the reason that Bobby was lashing out had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with him.

"Come on," she said, motioning quickly and abruptly. "We have an assignment."