Don't own Law and Order/characters/plots/any of it.

Set after Purgatory...just a little lighthearted fun.

Our Girl

She didn't want to be around him. Other than on the job, she didn't want to be around him. But that didn't stop him from being around her. Even if she didn't know it. So, he followed her to the bar that night, staying far enough behind her so she wouldn't notice, but close enough that he could still see her.

He found himself in the back of the pub, at a small table, nursing a beer and watching her at the bar, by herself, drinking several margaritas in rapid succession.

"Is this seat taken?" The man sat down before waiting for an answer

"I want to be alone." Goren replied

"Watcha looking at? Oh I see.."

"Do I know you?" Goren squinted at the man

"That your girl?" The stranger asked

"You look sort of familiar..."

"Yeah? I get that a lot." He answered

"You a cop?" Goren continued trying to place the face

"Used to be."

"Well, you look too young to be retired. Quit the force?"

"In a manner of speaking. I was shot."

"Oh, so, disability, huh?" Goren asked

"In a manner of speaking" The man smirked "So, is that your girl?" He pressed on

Bobby continued to stare for a minute. Why did this guy look so familiar...

"She's a looker" The man commented

"What?..Oh..no, she's not my girl, she's my partner" He sighed

"But you want her to be your girl." The man stated plainly. "What's stopping you?"

"Did you hear me? She's my partner. There are rules."

There are rules. Did I really say that to her?

"Well, from what I hear, you don't really care much for the rules to begin with."

Bobby stared at him again. "Who are you?"

The man ignored him and sighed. "I had a girl like her once. She was one tough cookie. Let me tell you, she had sharp mind, but an even sharper tongue. She could cut me down with one word, one look."

Bobby snorted. "Tell me about it"

"You know, the thing about my girl, she was from a family of cops. Never made anything easy for her. Hard for her to maintain her balance of being a woman and a cop. She never let on about the pressure she was under. But, I figured out that the more sarcastic she became, the more she was hurting."

"Well, my partner, she must be really hurt then. I can't even get close enough to her to get her to talk to me, so I have to settle for looking after her from a distance"

"Yeah. I know the feeling." Again the man sighed "The thing about my girl, she hasn't had it so easy either. It took a long time for me to break down those walls around her. The more she pushed, the more I pushed back. But it was well worth it. Finally came a time when I realized I didn't want to live my life without her."

"So, what happened." Bobby asked, genuinely interested at this point

"I married her". He replied simply

"So, why are you here and not with your wife?"

"We're not together anymore."

"Why?"

"Circumstances. My job got in the way."

"Well, it sounds like you still love her. Why not try to get her back?"

"I do love her. I always will. But I think she's moved onto someone else. She's already involved with someone else, actually. Deep down, she knows it."

"And your cool with it?"

"Well, I don't really have a choice. All I can hope is that this guy realizes what he has is worth fighting for. I hope he treats her well."

"Have you met him?"

"Yeah. Decent guy. Good cop."

"He's a cop? D..did you work with him?"

"Nah. I've seen him though. I think he'll be good for her. He's the one. He just doesn't know it. He's...gun shy...if you'll excuse the expression". He chuckled.

They both continued to stare at the bar. Then the man spoke "Your girl..I mean partner, she seems to be on her way to a massive hangover tomorrow. Maybe you should go over there."

Bobby just continued to stare. "Listen, she really looks like she could use a friend. Don't let her push you away." With that the man stood up to make his leave.

"Wait, y..you..you never told me your name".

The man looked him straight in the eye and smiled a bit. "Joe. Just call me Joe." Joe glanced over to Alex and back at Bobby. "Take care of her. It's worth it." And with that, he walked away and was gone.

Later that night, after a few hours and more than a few harsh words from her, Bobby took a very drunk Alex home. He removed her shoes and put the covers over her. As he was leaving he stopped to look at a picture that caught his attention. His heart nearly stopped. That picture...that man...that's why he looked so familiar. Joe Dutton. 'Just call me Joe'.

No way. No way. No way?

-end-