Authors notes: Hey all, my first attempt at Criminal Intent fanfiction. Not sure I got their characters right, well, I know I didn't, but I mean, I'm not sure I got them as close as I could get them to being right. Well, anyway, the idea for this story just popped into my head, along with another one I'm in the process of writing that's a bit longer than this one. That one will be a chapter story instead of just a short story, like this one. Should be posting the first chapter soon, but let me know if you like this.

Passing Notes.

Robert Goren was bored. It didn't happen often; there was usually a case files to look at, or a book to read, or even something on the learning channel to watch. If all else fails, there was always his partner, Alex Eames to bother. Bobby did this often. He didn't think she minded much, though. She was never really shy about letting anyone know when she was angry or annoyed with them, least of all Bobby. As she took over his thoughts, his eyes found their way to her as casually as possible.

To the untrained eye, anyone would think she was paying close attention, taking notes even; but he knew better. For one, she hated these meeting as much as he did, and two, Bobby recognized paperwork when he saw it. They were always behind in it, always trying to catch up. He wished he thought of something to do while the accountant drowned on about expense reports and the correct way to file them. It was the one subject even Bobby Goren couldn't find interesting.

Where was he? Oh yeah- Eames and paperwork. She was always better at keeping track of that kind of stuff. It was she who did most, if not all, the paperwork and he guessed that was why they were always behind. Usually partners split the load and, since there were two sets of hands filling in the blanks, it got done in a timely fashion. He felt a stab of guilt at that thought. She did as much as he in the field, he shouldn't always make excuses to get out of the paperwork.

Suddenly an idea popped into his head and he, as silently as possible, started looking through his pockets for a scrap piece of paper. When he found one, he scribbled a quick note, folded the paper in half, then half again and waited for an opportunity.

A minute later, the accountant pointed to the diagram he set up behind him and all the other officers dragged to the meeting turned to look. Goren stretched his arms like he was working the kinks out and dropped the folded paper on top of the form Eames was halfway through; all without taking his eyes off the accountant and his stupid diagram.

Another minute passed and Bobby wondered if she was just going to ignore him when the paper came rolling back in front of him, like she had flicked it. He chanced a look at her, but she was busy filling out forms again. He eagerly reopened the note, hiding a smile.

B: Care to share some of that?
A: Since when are you itching to do paperwork?

Her voice came instantly to his mind and he could just see her eyebrow quirked while she spoke. He thought a minute, then again wrote down a reply. This time she was ready for him. When he refolded the paper and thought about how to get it to her without alerting anyone, he felt a nudge to his leg. Looking down he saw that Alex had her hand open and waiting while at the same time still writing with her other hand.

Bobby slipped her the note and resettled in his chair, leaning his head on his left hand that was balanced on the table, while his other hand was resting on his knee under the table waiting for Alex. He glanced at her when she read the note and smiled when she smiled. With a slight shake of her head, she wrote a quick reply and refolded the note. He looked away before she caught him starring and soon felt her slip the paper back into his hand.

B: Since I've found something even more mind-numbing than it.
A: Isn't that what you said when you got us into trouble and we had to sit through Carver's Law, 101?

Bobby cleared his throat to hide a small chuckle. She remembered that? He thought he mumbled it under his breath when they were leaving. He knew she paid attention to him, even noticed the things about him a good cop should, but was it possible she paid as close attention to him as he did her?

'Your jumping to conclusions again' he scolded himself as he wrote a reply and slipped the note back to her. 'Just because she remembers something you said awhile ago doesn't mean she obsesses over you like you do her.' Bobby mentally shook his head in disagreement. 'I don't obsess over her.' Another part of his brain replied. ' I pay attention to her; I care about what she says, about her opinions. That's not obsession; we're partners.'

The paper was back and he noticed she had given up filling out the forms and now just feigned interest in what the accountant was saying.

B: I've since revised my list. Now it's expense meetings, Carvers lectures, Paperwork.
A: Wow, paperwork is getting pretty high on the list, huh? Wait- you think these meetings are worse than a lecture from Carver?

Bobby nodded to himself even as he wrote a reply and slipped it back to Alex. 'Sure' the first part of his brain continued it's mental argument. 'Partners. Do all partner's call each other at all hours of the night to talk? Or are in each others personal space whenever they're together?' Alex had to nudge his leg to take the note this time, he was so focused with his thoughts.

B: Of course. At least with Carver I'm aloud to speak.
A: Ah, of course.

Bobby glanced at Alex top see she was looking at him. She smiled her half smile, eyes twinkling and he felt his own mouth smile without thought- his natural response to seeing her smile. 'Do all partners love their female counterparts smile?' the voice in his head asked, sounding amused. 'Shut up!' he mentally yelled.

Bobby's eyes refocused on the scrap paper and he wrote the first thing that popped into his head, and then passed it back. Alex rolled her eyes when she read it and he knew what he reply would be, 'So what else is new?' When he reached for the note back she passed a small bag of skittles with it; her favorite snack, and quickly becoming his, to carry around for just these occasions. It was only a third full, but he was happy.

He went for the classic yawning maneuver to get them to his mouth without anyone being the wiser. While carefully chewing them, he read the note.

B: I'm Hungry.
A: That should hold you til you treat me to lunch after this.

Bobby inwardly rejoiced. 'Are all partners happy when they get to take their female counterpart out to lunch?' the voice was back with a vengeance. 'Didn't I tell you to take a hike?' He mentally grumbled back as he scribbled a reply and passed the note back to Alex's waiting hand. 'Friends then, okay? We're good friends.' he explained. 'Well, you're heading in the right direction anyway.'

Alex was about to pass the note back when it fell from her hand. Thinking she dropped it on accident, he started to reach down for it when she caught his hand in her iron grip. He realized right away andfaked a cough, then put his attention back at the instructor, but was too late. The accountant, along with the rest of the room, was looking at him expectantly. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Did he ask me something? I didn't even hear him say my name.

"Uh...The um.." Bobby stalled for time.

"Form 3b-201" Alex mumbled out of the corner of her mouth and Goren instantly repeated it.

"Very good. Nice to know at least some of you are still with me." the instructor said with a smile, then resumed his speech. Bobby threw Alex a grateful look. She gave him a little shrug as if to say 'No big deal' then glanced down at the note now laying on the floor by his feet. He knocked his pen to the floor with his elbow then reached down to retrieve both.

B: My treat?
A: Of course. Payment for stiffing me with the paperwork all the time.

Bobby nodded to show this was an excepted agreement when inside he wondered at his luck. Not only did he not have to do the paperwork (which he despised) but he got a dinner with Alex out of it. He wrote down a place that had just opened up, which he heard was good, if a little pricier then where they usually went and passed it back before he could think better of it.

He snuck another glance at Alex and saw the slight surprise on her face. Then she looked thoughtful before writing a reply and refolding the paper. He didn't chicken out this time and kept her gaze while he took the paper, finding confidence when she let her hand liger a moment longer then she usually did. So quick it almost wasn't noticeable, but Bobby did notice and took it as a good sign.

B: Did you hear about that new place that opened up? Cardello's? In the mood for Italian?
A: Depends. Do I get to go home and change first?

Bobby looked her over and thought she looked fine, but understood she might be a little uncomfortable in her work clothes and he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. She didn't need any reminders that they were work partners going out to dinner because she made it seem like he owed her. He wanted to just be a couple of friends having a meal together because they enjoyed the other's company.

He was about to scribble a reply back when something the instructor said caught his attention. "I think that about covers it. Take your pamphlets home with you to look over, or keep it at your desk for a reference. Dismissed." he let out a grateful sigh as he stood up and stretched, slipping the note in his pocket.

"If you want to." he spoke into Alex's ear as they make their way outside. "I got a bag in my car I can change into so we don't have to…go to two places."

"Bobby, I hear this place is kind of nice. I don't think they'd let you in if you were just wearing a bag. Though it might depend on the color of the bag." Alex quipped with a straight face. Bobby let a chuckle out and shook his head.

"Don't worry. Dark green. Goes with my eyes." he pointed unnecessarily, then shrugged."I wouldn't want to embarrass you." he grinned at her.

"You? Embarrass me? Never." she fired back. He mock glared at her.

"Has anyone ever told you that sarcasm doesn't become you?" he asked opening the door for her to precede him out. She gave a show of thinking about it before replying.

"No, never." she said with an innocent look that might have fooled anyone but him.

They reached her car first and Bobby jogged a little way down to retrieve the bag with a change of clothes in it from his trunk. He came back to her car and slipped it in the back seat before joining her in the front.

"You really want to go to Cardello's?" Alex asked a little uncertainly as she made her way out of the parking garage.

"Sure. Don't you?" he asked, no worried he had made a fool of himself when she had just been kidding around with him.

"No, I do.It's just not one of our usual hangouts." she explained.

"Yes but...it's...a nice change. Don't you think?" he asked. She thought for a minute before nodding.

"A very nice change." she agreed and they shared a smile, both wondering if the other caught the underlying meaning.

"So, Cardello's?" Bobby asked, needing confirmation.

"Cardello's." Alex nodded again and shot him a grin, which he eagerly returned.

End

And that's all folks. I have a sequel in mind, where it continues to the dinner. Also have a companion fic in mind where either Eames tells her version of this story or where someone else in the room tells his/her version of the two of them. Maybe both. Let me know what you think.