Touching by Tres Mechante
Disclaimer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent does not belong to me – none of it. The only profit derived from this story is my own amusement, and possibly the amusement of others.
Summary: "In fact, most of the squad room was grinning. He and Eames had provided yet another entertaining interlude for the Major Case Squad."
A/N: This is in response to an informal challenge issued at the Amorous Intent forum. The first line was provided. The resulting story is of the fluffy variety.
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"Dammit Goren, can't you keep your hands off of anything?!!?" Bobby continued muttering under his breath as he tried to clean the mess before his partner returned. He'd only meant to peek inside the bag, not topple half the contents of the desktop onto the floor.
As he knelt on the floor and reached for another file folder, a petite foot entered his line of sight. Moving his eyes from the foot, up the leg, past the tiny waist, the chest with arms crossed in front of it, Bobby's eyes met those of his partner Alex Eames. He gave one of his little boy grins, gathered up the files and stood.
"Can I help you find something?" she asked. His grin dimmed for a moment. He knew that tone of voice – the one that said he'd better have a good story or else.
"I was looking for a-a file," he said, "and accidentally... knocked everything over. Sorry."
"A file. You sure you weren't trying to look in the bag?" Not good, he thought. That raised eyebrow does not bode well.
Bobby took a step back and did his best to look the picture of wounded innocence. "I was looking for the Micelli file....to-to cross reference a statement."
"Ok then. Let me give you a hand." Just as Bobby breathed a silent sigh of relief, Alex walked around her desk, picked up the open file from his desk and handed it to him. "Here ya go." With that she took the bag off the desk and held it up.
"You know the deal. Stay focused on that pile of paperwork and you can have what's in the bag," Alex said.
"Right and I've only got a few more reports to fill in, so what's the harm in-in taking an early break," he wheedled, reaching for the bag.
With a sigh, Alex moved the bag out of his reach. "That little stunt will cost you, Bobby. Now you have to wait until lunch." Ignoring his shocked look, she gathered her own paperwork, the bag and her coffee and headed to the small meeting room. Without looking back, Alex called out "See you in a couple of hours."
Bobby stood looking after her for a moment.
"In the doghouse again, Goren?" came an amused voice from behind him.
Bobby turned around to see Captain Deakins grinning at him. In fact, most of the squad room was grinning. He and Eames had provided yet another entertaining interlude for the Major Case Squad.
With a deep sigh, Bobby moved back towards his desk, noting the other detectives were quickly looking away and resuming their own conversations. "Captain."
"Just wondering how the reports are coming along," said Deakins with a grin as we wandered off without waiting for a reply.
Dropping into his chair, Bobby re-opened the Micelli folder and continued to fill in his report. However, his attention was not on paperwork. It was with his partner in the meeting room. Or more specifically, with the bag she had taken into the room with her.
Without realizing it, a dreamy look came over his face, and Bobby stopped writing altogether. That bag. Mmmm. He could smell just a hint of nutmeg. There was definitely a cinnamon undertone. Another treasure from old man Catalano.
He remembered the first time he tasted baking from Catalano's. During one of their investigations they interviewed a bakery shop owner. The lead was a dead-end, but the owner, 76-year-old Maurizio Catalano had taken an immediate shine to one Alexandra Eames. The following week, a package was delivered to Alex – cinnamon buns. And the week after that, Alex came into work with a bag of baking from Catalano's. Each week, there were new variations on the cinnamon theme – sometimes alone, sometimes combined with other spices. And being the generous soul she is, Alex shared those fresh-baked treasures.
And they were always delicious. So much so, that Alex discovered the Friday treats could be used to prod Bobby into completing, or at least making a good start on clearing up paperwork before the weekend. It seemed that nothing inspired motivation quite like the threat of withholding one of old man Catalano's tasty creations.
Bobby could never figure out how he came up with something new every week. And today's creation promised to be...
"Goren!"
Bobby jumped slightly and looked up as Deakins walked toward him. "Sorry to interrupt your deep thoughts," he said. "It seems you were right about Chapman's involvement with the OTB heist. He decided to cop a plea after all and offered to testify so we'll be adding this to everything else. Is the report done? I've got a briefing upstairs in 45 minutes."
Bobby sifted through some of the files on his desk and said, "I-I think Eames has it. I'll, uh, I'll get it." And with that Bobby jumped up and went to the meeting room Alex was working in. Giving a quick rap on the doorframe he walked in.
"Are you done with the Chapman file? Deakins says he's decided to testify."
"Yeah, it's over there," she said without looking up, pointing behind her to the credenza.
Bobby walked over, but as he reached for the file, he noticed the bag from Catalano's beside it. Tempting smells were still coming from it, and before he could check the impulse, Bobby started to open the bag as quietly as he could.
But he just wasn't quiet enough.
With a shout that brought perfect silence to the entire squad room, Alex rounded on her partner. "Dammit, Goren! Stop trying to grab my buns!"
-End-