Disclaimer:All of the characters are the property of Dick Wolf. I thank him, the writers, the directors and all the great actors who brought them "to life" for our benefit. Any "liberties" I have taken with them is motivated only by my fond admiration.
AN: This story is not set entirely within the accepted "canon" or strictly within the "storyline" for the characters as it is only officially portrayed by the TV series.
This the fifth and probably the final part of the series that began with "A Wide Open Country" …so if y'all want to know how Bobby and Alex got to this point and why…you have a lot of reading to do…
A FOREIGN COUNTRY
Friday 12th June
Office Of The Captain, Major Case Squad, 1PP
Captain Danny Ross managed to stop his mouth forming a grin.
Just.
It was not often something he said left Detective Robert Goren speechless. More often he would respond with a "but" or a "what if". That was the trouble with the ones who were really clever. As opposed to just "smart". Ross said nothing. Just enjoyed the confusion of one of his best officers as that large frame twisted and twitched in his seat. Goren's mouth even opened and closed silently a couple of times. Before Ross decided to put him out of his discomfort.
Just a little.
"The correct response Bobby is something like I'm honoured or surprised to be asked"
Goren glanced up. "I...um...I guess...well I know I am...just...er...when do you want an answer sir?"
"This time next week" Ross made a conscious effort to make his tone more kindly. "I realise your head is somewhere else right now Bobby...with the baby due in a few days and I'm sure you want to talk it over with Caro...but...but if you want my opinion on this occasion, I think this could be very good for you for all sorts of reasons. Personal and professional"
There was a pause as Goren gazed out the window towards the top of the Brooklyn Bridge "Yes....yes I see what you mean"
Then the look was back at Ross' face "But what about Faith...if I go?"
Since Alex Eames had been promoted and transferred, the Captain had partnered Goren with Faith Dempsey. More or less a rookie when she came to Major Case, it had turned out to be an ideal partnership. She was smart enough to keep up with the speed and complexity of the way Bobby's mind worked and she had the guts to rein in him a little at times. Not that he was as dangerously erratic as he had been when Ross took over from Jim Deakins. Perhaps the stability in Goren's personal life had something to do with that. Without dimming his commitment to the job and it had to be said, sheer brilliance at times. Brilliance that some partners would find it hard to work alongside.
"Not an issue" shrugged Ross. "Soon as you leave, Faith will come in here for me to tell her I'm approving her request to transfer to SVU. I agree with what you said to me about it being the right time for her. I might even forgive you for it eventually"
This time it was Goren smothered a little grin, knowing it was his former partner who was behind the "defection" of his current one. "And Alex?"
"Never" growled the Captain "And thanks Bobby. For what you've taught Faith and what she's learned from you. Perhaps the Commandant of the Academy hasn't had a brainstorm asking for you after all?"
Major Case Squad Room
An hour later Goren and Faith Dempsey were passing various files to and fro across their desks and she was trying hard to not seem too pleased at the news Ross had given her. It was not that she wanted to get away from him or Major Case. Even if Bobby had wondered about the former when she first raised it with him a couple of weeks ago. She still wasn't always sure whether some of the emotions he conveyed were genuine or "put on". In that instance "hurt concern" as they sat in a quiet corner of Roark's with a pitcher of beer between them. It had taken her a few moments to realise Bobby was just teasing her. Wasn't really afraid it was "something he did" and ended up giving her good reasons why she should consider the slot at SVU (Manhattan), re-assuring her she was ready and promising to support her.
"You are only going on vacation for a couple of weeks Dempsey" he muttered, juggling a file full of loose papers she never kept as neat as he might like.
"I know that. I also want to be out of here when the shift ends. Did you finish the DR3 on the Cavendish case Goren?"
"One of us had to" he shrugged. "Though it's you needs the practice Detective"
A pink tongue shot out in his direction. It could have been worse. She might have kicked him.
"I hear congratulations are in order Detective Dempsey" said Mike Logan's voice as he returned to his desk nearby. "You finally figured a way of escaping from Bobby"
"Don't speak too soon Logan" said Ross as he stepped over. "I just had Megan on the phone from Albany. The Rancoli trial is going to run over into next week. One of the defendants went down with food poisoning"
"So?" shrugged Logan.
"So I can't keep you on admin duty next week with the numbers of people on vacation and Goren will be without a partner"
Goren and Logan took a long look at each other and then back at Ross.
"No. You can't do this to me Captain" pleaded Logan.
"I love you too Mike" murmured Goren.
Danny Ross pulled on his already loose tie "Believe me Mike, this is my worst nightmare come true. But the two of you had better consider yourselves on deck and that includes this weekend. Just make sure you clear lines with each other on the important issues before you leave tonight"
With that he was back in his office where the air-con always seemed to be more effective. Or maybe Ross brought his own chill to the space at times?
"Black, two sugars" said Logan eventually.
"Onions, no mustard" nodded Goren.
Faith Dempsey giggled. "Guess that's the important issues dealt with"
Logan held out his hand. "Almost. Give me the keys to your new Equinox"
She reached for them then paused. "What's wrong with your Mercury?"
"Nothing" grinned Logan. "But I always wanted one of those cool SUVs"
"It's not his worst nightmare by the way" added Goren. "That's the Yanks trading Jeter to the Mets"
SVU (Manhattan)
The old 16th Precinct building had an architectural solidity to it and a quirky charm that IPP lacked. What it did not have, Alex Eames was fast concluding late on a hot afternoon, was an air-con system worked even half as well as the one at HQ. Real wood, not cheap veneer and solid brick as opposed to stud walling had their limitations when your desk was the furthest from one of the outlets and it was eighty-five in the shade outside.
But as she picked out a bunch of expenses forms from her in-tray, Eames knew the desk had been her choice and for good reason. When the Chief of D's decided to create a Lieutenant's post at each of the five Units across the city to support their workload and growing remit, it was almost certain that the majority would go to "outsiders". People not already part of a close knit team which got through working some of the most distressing cases it fell to cops to deal with. And with her promotion confirmed, she had not hesitated to accept the offer from Dick Nichols.
Her experience in Vice and then Major Case made her an excellent professional choice and she already had good working relationships with many of the Manhattan squad. Their paths had crossed often enough and mostly with positive outcome. But Eames was an experienced cop from a family of cops and she knew the day she walked in and Captain Cragen said she could have her pick of any desk; it had to be a careful choice. Not to piss off the incumbents who would have to move and lose their spot closest to the coffee machine, the gun locker, an air–con outlet or whatever else made them "choice locations". So she picked the only vacant one, of course had to be the worst in the room.
That was her first test passed and in the four months since she arrived she knew there had been others. Devising and developing a way of working with Don, who found a "deputy" something of a disconcerting experience to begin with, was just one. Hardest of all had been resisting the urge to "roll up her sleeves" too often on a case. Eames knew she struggled at times to stand back and play "devil's advocate". To pose alternative theories to experienced detectives like Tutuola and Stabler who were probably on the right track. To offer that same objectivity she had often found infuriating working with Deakins and later Ross. Or to have to "nit pick" as they saw it, at details to be certain everything would hold water in court.
A task she would not deny where Jack McCoy had sometimes been useful. Over dinner or half watching TV and one famous time, in bed. Though that was a once only thing took something of an argument and a night in the guest room to settle it would never happen again. And the "make up" sex had been great.
One test Alex knew she had failed, though she had never really expected to pass it. And that was establishing a positive working relationship or re-forging her friendship with Liv Benson. Her one time friend had put in for transfer before the Lieutenant's post was even created. Thanks to issues in Olivia's past and life she found increasingly hard to separate from the job. Relationships between her and others in the squad were breaking down to the level where Cragen was about to ship her out. A situation not helped by her and Elliot Stabler having "a thing" while he was separated from his wife. It was very messy and faced with the choice of letting her go or Elliot, Don had opted to keep Stabler.
All her attempts while she was still at Major Case to advise or help Liv failed and because of Benson's dislike of Jack McCoy, their relationship merely became a further bone of contention and they drifted apart as friends. Eames had never really worked out why she hated the District Attorney for New York, Jack had no clues himself beyond a few professional disagreements in the past and the one thing Eames had wondered, he put her straight on. He and Benson never had a relationship out of work for there to be reason for the dislike.
But it made the month until Olivia got her transfer, to a precinct job in Queens, difficult for all sorts of reasons. One thing that had not got better since she went was Alex's dislike of the routine paperwork she had to share with the Captain. But she was determined to clear it all from her desk before she signed out to leave the weekend free.
"Have a good one Finn" she waved at Tutuola as he left and shook her head as he indicated tipping a glass.
Then muttered as her telephone rang. Still sounded strange to hear herself saying "Lieutenant Eames" as she picked it up.
"Hi Alex. Danny"
"Hello sir. Bad news for me I'm guessing"
"For me. I've just signed Faith's transfer request form"
"Great!" Alex breathed before quickly adding. "For us...um I realise for you...er...don't expect it will happen in a hurry"
"Maybe sooner than you think Lieutenant. Between us?"
"Of course"
"Spoke to Goren...Bobby as well this afternoon. And not just about how the pair of you must have colluded to support Faith's request"
Eames pulled a little face. It was true that before she said anything to anyone about Faith Dempsey for the slot in SVU she had spoken to Bobby. At his place one evening as they cleared the table while Jack helped a heavily pregnant Caro walk off a prolonged "Braxton Hicks" contraction in the garden. It was polite, she trusted his judgement implicitly on whether Dempsey was ready for the work and she really didn't want Goren to feel he was being dumped on. Losing another partner so quickly and when he would soon be facing the biggest challenge of his life. Fatherhood.
"Anyway" Ross went on. "Fact is I've offered Bobby a year's secondment to the Academy. Commandant Wilson must be out of his mind but..."
"Perfect for him" smiled Eames. "Think he'll take it?"
"You tell me Alex. You know how that head works better than I ever will but whatever happens you get Dempsey and I get the personnel headache. Again"
To be continued...
AN: Alex got her promotion and together with Jack McCoy in "Encore For Adrasteia". Other stuff happened too.