Disclaimer: They belong to Dick Wolf. Always have, always will.
A/N: Ok, so this is what happens when you finish packing up your house over thirty-six hours on little sleep, listening to Air Supply the whole time. It's somewhat different from what I usually write…hope you guys don't think it's too bad.
Jimmy Deakins walked slowly to the door of his office and looked out across the squad room. His eyes came to rest on Goren and Eames. Goren was smiling, which was nice to see, and Eames was laughing. Over ten years now they had been partners. He had never seen the like. More than partners, they had become best friends. Nothing had ever come between that friendship…not marriage, not family, nothing.
The last few years had been hard ones for the partners, personally. But through the turmoil their personal lives had become, their friendship had remained steadfast, their partnership, untouched. And now that things had settled within their lives, it was a relief for Deakins to see them happy and relaxed.
He was entirely unsure of how to approach Eames with the news he had just received. He had no idea how she would react. But Goren would know. "Goren," he called.
The big cop looked up at him. Deakins motioned for him to come into the office. He didn't miss the look and the smile he gave his partner as he got up and headed for the office.
When he came out of the office, there was no trace of a smile on his troubled features. He walked up behind his partner, placed his hands on her petite shoulders and leaned down. "Let's go for a walk."
"Why?"
"Just come on, Alex."
She frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Please."
She got to her feet and walked with her partner from the squad room. Mike Logan got up from his desk and went into Deakins' office. When he returned to his desk, he leaned toward his longtime partner, Carolyn Barek, and said quietly, "Ricky was killed this morning."
Ricky Waters was Eames' ex-husband, serving time at Rikers for aggravated assault and attempted murder. They had been married four-and-a half years; the divorce had been finalized four months ago. The marriage, simply put, had not survived the partnership, leaving Eames with a three-year-old daughter and six months pregnant with her second child.