A/N: This story immediately follows on from Trapped, and if you have not yet read that story, then I strongly recommend you do so before starting this. Otherwise, very little is going to make sense.

Rating: T, for mild coarse language, and possible violent situations later on.

Dislcaimers: The usual. I don't own CI, or any other show that I might be tempted to cross this story over with later on. We'll see where it lands us...


"I really want to look inside this envelope."

Detective Alex Eames glanced at her colleague and friend, Detective Carolyn Barek, as she guided the SUV through the Manhattan traffic.

"So do I, but Deakins said we weren't to open it. From the way he sounded on the phone, I think he'd probably kill us himself if we did."

Carolyn frowned as she held the envelope up to the light, trying futilely to determine what the contents were.

"He asks us to bring an envelope to his home, to meet him, Mike and Bobby. The envelope clearly has information in it that's going to impact on our partners in some way, and he doesn't want us to know what's in it. But he wants us there to… what did he say? Control our partners. That's just great. What's he worried about, anyway? Neither of them have their guns, and at the moment Deakins could probably outrun them even hopping on one foot."

"You're assuming that he wants us there to protect him," Alex said quietly. "Maybe he wants us there to protect them."

"Which we would be able to do if we knew in advance what this was about!" Carolyn persisted. Alex shook her head.

"We aren't opening it. It's not worth the trouble."

"Yeah, easy to say that now. But after everything that's happened over the last month…"

She trailed off, and a sober silence descended on the two women.

It had been a little over a month since the events that had seen them almost have to bury their two partners. A month since Mike Logan and Bobby Goren had spent a terrifying weekend trapped in the basement of a building that was scheduled for demolition; a month since their dramatic rescue from within that same semi-demolished building, and a month since Bobby's miraculous recovery from a life-threatening coma.

It had been a brutally hard time for all. For Alex and Carolyn – both when they became aware that their partners were missing; then in the frantic hours spent searching for some sign of what might have happened to them; and finally in the days following the rescue, when both Bobby and Mike's lives had been in the balance.

And then there was Bobby and Mike themselves. Their ordeal had, without a doubt, been the harshest that either man had ever endured and now, the thought that perhaps they were facing yet some new trial was just about more than Alex and Carolyn could stomach.

"Whatever it's about," Carolyn said tensely, "it had better be worth the stress. Damn it… if only it hadn't been sealed! What the hell could be in it?"

Alex stared ahead grimly. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Something that's going to profoundly affect both Bobby and Mike. It must be something big. Why else would Deakins be dropping it on them the day they both get out of the hospital?"

"It must be test results of some sort," Carolyn mused. "Alex, did Mack Taylor show up at St Barnabas to get blood and DNA samples from Bobby?"

"Yes, he did," Alex confirmed, her frown deepening. "The day before Bobby was transferred from St Barnabas to Mt Sinai. He did the same with Mike?"

"Yes," Carolyn said, with no small amount of bitterness in her tone. Alex glanced at her quizzically.

"Why the attitude? It was just a few samples."

"Maybe," Carolyn muttered, "but Mike was suffering from hypersensitivity to pain at the time."

Alex winced in sympathy.

"Ouch."

"Yes, exactly. We heard him scream all the way down the corridor when they put the needle in to get the blood sample. And you know, that son of a bitch Taylor actually threatened to get a court order if Mike kept refusing to give the sample? Even after Mike told him why."

Alex drummed her fingertips restlessly on the steering wheel as she waited for a green light.

"So he takes a sample from them both. That doesn't necessarily mean anything."

"Well, I don't know what explanation he gave Bobby, but he told Mike he wanted clean samples for the case against Baker."

"Clean?" Alex echoed sceptically. "What happened to the samples CSU got when they were taken to St Barnabas?"

"Nothing, apparently. But Taylor claimed he wanted samples for extra testing, to make the case watertight." Carolyn frowned as she returned her attention to the envelope, and its mysterious contents. "I'm sure I can get this open."

"Don't try it," Alex warned her. "It's not worth it, and whatever it is, we'll find out soon enough."

Carolyn sighed and slumped back in the seat.

"Not soon enough."

Alex didn't argue, but something deep inside of her whispered just the opposite.


"So, are you going to tell us what's going on?" Mike asked quietly as they headed away from the hotel. Deakins glanced briefly at them in the rear view mirror.

"About what, Logan?"

Mike and Bobby looked at one another in increasing irritation.

"That's exactly what we want to know!" Mike growled. "You nearly choked when Jeremy made that comment about us being blood brothers, and then you bolted out the door like the place was on fire. Now, maybe we're jumping to conclusions, but we found that just a little bit on the strange side."

Deakins sighed softly.

Damn it

"I had intended on waiting until you were both fitter before talking to you about it."

"Talking to us about what?" Bobby asked. "Just tell us what's going on, Captain! That's all we want. To know what's going on!"

"I will," Deakins assured them wearily, quietly pleased at the way both men were being mutually inclusive of each other when they spoke. They truly had developed a close bond through their ordeal together and, once again, he prayed the coming storm wouldn't cause it to disintegrate. "Just… be patient."

Mike snorted derisively.

"You're holding on to some big secret, and you tell us to be patient. Nice."

"Well, you can wait to hear this," Deakins snapped. "Believe me, you can both wait."

Once again, Mike and Bobby exchanged grim looks, neither man suddenly all that certain that they wanted to know after all.


Alex and Carolyn were there well and truly by the time that Deakins arrived with Mike and Bobby, much to Deakins' private relief.

"This is promising," Mike said dryly as they got out. "He takes us home to his place."

"Maybe he thinks we'll be better behaved by bringing us here," Bobby suggested, drawing a dark look from Deakins.

"Knock it off, both of you, and get your asses inside before you both collapse."

"Yes, Dad," Mike retorted, and limped up and into the Deakins' home, with Bobby right behind him.


Angie Deakins was in the vestibule waiting for them when they came in, and she greeted both men with a warm smile and an equally warm hug for each of them.

"It's so good to see you both out of the hospital. How are you boys feeling?"

"We're good, Mrs D," Mike answered.

"Alex and Carolyn…?" Deakins asked, and Angie nodded.

"In the family room. Can I bring coffee in for anyone?"

"Maybe later," Deakins said. He ushered Bobby and Mike towards the family room.

"Whose protection are they here for?" Mike asked, nodding towards Alex and Carolyn as they entered the family room. "Ours, or yours?"

"Sit," Deakins ordered him, and Mike dropped into an empty armchair. After a moment, Bobby sat down on the sofa next to Alex. She handed the envelope to Deakins, who nodded in grim thanks.

"Bobby," Deakins began, "you probably don't remember, but Mack Taylor came to get blood and DNA samples from you while you were in St Barnabas."

He frowned, and Alex squeezed his hand gently.

"You weren't too aware at the time, but you did give permission for him to get the samples."

Bobby didn't argue with her, but nor did the frown leave his face. Deakins looked over at Mike.

"And I know you haven't forgotten."

"No," Mike said in a dangerously soft voice. "I haven't."

"So this is to do with that," Carolyn guessed. Deakins answered with a single nod. He had no intention of simply dropping the bombshell on them, but nor was he going to play guessing games over it.

"Yes, it is. Mack told you both it was for the case, but that was only partially true. The original samples that CSU got when you were both taken to St Barnabas were given to a new tech to analyse, and in the process of testing those samples and the samples taken from Joey Baker's car, he got a little… enthusiastic."

"Define that," Alex said tensely. Deakins hesitated, taking in the sober expressions on both Bobby and Mike's face before going on.

"Over-enthusiastic, as in he ran a DNA comparison on the samples."

Silence met that statement.

"A DNA comparison?" Bobby echoed finally, incredulously. "Why? There shouldn't have been any reason to…"

"Taylor knows that, and he's already reprimanded the tech. But the problem now is that something came up in the test, something that couldn't be ignored."

Mike sat forward slowly.

"And the reason he took that second lot of samples?"

It took some effort for Deakins to avoid sighing out loud.

"He planned on retesting them, hoping to get a different result. He hoped that perhaps the original samples had been compromised in some way. But the second lot of results came back exactly the same."

"Are you going to tell us what the results are?" Bobby asked softly. The captain locked stares with him for a long moment, and had a sudden, disconcerting feeling that Bobby already knew the truth, and was just waiting for him to confirm it.

He returned his attention to the envelope in his hands. This was the moment he had been dreading for over three weeks now. He'd argued time and again with himself over the wisdom of divulging the news, and he'd wondered if it wasn't for the best that he simply bury the results. In the end, though, his conscience wouldn't allow him to take that path. He had to tell them. There was no other option.

Grimacing, Deakins slit open the envelope and withdrew the contents.

"What is that?" Mike asked in a scathing tone. "Have we got some terminal disease?"

A moment later, he yelped when Carolyn reached over and swatted him on the arm.

"Knock it off, Logan," she snapped at him. "That's not funny."

Scowling, he looked back at the captain, waiting for an explanation.

"There is no easy way to say this," Deakins told them. "No way to lessen the impact. I just hope that this friendship you've found with each other won't be harmed in any way."

"Captain, just say it," Bobby pleaded with him. "Whatever it is that you have to say, just tell us."

"All right," Deakins conceded softly. "Mike… Bobby… the tests proved conclusively that the two of you are brothers."

The silence that followed that statement was profound. Neither man spoke, or moved. They simply sat and stared, first at Deakins and then at each other. In the end, the silence was broken when Alex got up and grabbed the results from the captain.

"Let me see that."

Deakins allowed her to take the pages, his attention focused almost exclusively on Mike and Bobby, and how they were reacting.

"Brothers," Mike said finally, in a flat tone. "You're kidding, right? I mean, you have to be kidding. There's no way! Look at us! We don't look even remotely alike!"

Deakins said nothing, merely looking over at Alex, who was scrutinising the results.

"It's true," she said finally, handing the pages to Bobby with numb fingers. He promptly began to examine them, a deep frown on his face. After a moment, Mike shifted across to sit beside Bobby on the sofa, so he could see as well.

"No way," Mike whispered, staring at the papers in Bobby's hand in growing shock. "No fucking way…"

Looking sick all of a sudden, Bobby handed the pages to Mike, and got up awkwardly.

"We… have the same father." He paused, leaning heavily on his cane, trying to regain some sense of equilibrium.

"Bobby?" Alex asked tentatively. He smiled, but there was nothing pleasant in that smile.

"I always knew my father was an unfaithful bastard. I just never realised he was like that before my mom got sick."

"Crap," Mike moaned, sitting back with a thud. "Captain, I could really use a scotch right about now."

"With the medication you're on?" Deakins retorted. "Forget it, Logan. The strongest you're getting is a soda."

"Gee, thanks," Mike grumbled.

"Bobby, sit down," Alex said as the detective swayed precariously. "C'mon, before you fall down."

He obeyed, if only because he knew she was right. For the next few minutes, Mike and Bobby sat in silence, each trying to digest the news, and each struggling with it for different reasons. Finally, Bobby spoke in an audibly strained voice.

"Can we have a few minutes, please? Alone…"

Deakins, Alex and Carolyn filed out of the room in silence, granting his request.

"I don't know why you asked them to leave the room," Mike said. "There's nothing to say."

Bobby looked around at him.

"There's plenty to say, Mike. How… How do you feel… about this?"

Mike almost laughed. Almost.

"How do I feel? Damn, Bobby, how about ditching the amateur shrink act for once? I think it's pretty friggin' obvious how we're both feeling about this. The bigger question is will it negatively affect our relationship? Our… friendship."

"Should it?" Bobby wondered. "Should what our parents did be allowed to have that much of an impact?"

Mike sighed.

"No. At least, I don't want it to."

"But it could," Bobby deduced. Mike frowned.

"No! Look, I'm not as friggin' eloquent as you, so just bear with me, okay? What I'm trying to say is that it's only going to affect us badly if we let it. Are we gonna let it?"

Bobby's jaw tightened just a little with new resolve. He valued his new-found friendship with Mike far too much to allow this new development in their lives to damage it in any way.

"No. Let's make that promise right now. Whatever happens from now on, we aren't going to let this ruin our friendship."

Mike chuckled softly as they briefly clasped hands.

"I haven't made a pact with anyone since Junior High."

Bobby smiled.

"Not since I was twelve, and that was a pact I made with myself."

"About your mom?" Mike guessed, and Bobby nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. I swore to myself after Dad walked out that I wouldn't let Mom be taken away again. Part of it was selfishness… I didn't want to be placed in foster care… But I couldn't stand the thought of her being in some sterile psych hospital, either."

Mike nodded, grimacing with empathy.

"I really do want a drink. What say we sneak out the back way and go find a bar?"

"Like the captain said, on our medication? We'd be back at Mt Sinai before we knew it."

"I know." Mike paused, and then laughed bitterly. "I've heard it said that alcoholism is genetic. I guess if there's any truth at all to that, then I don't have much of a chance, do I? Between my mom and your… I mean… our dad. Shit, what a mess."

Silence fell again, and this time it was a contemplative one.

"You know," Bobby said finally, sounding amused, "they're probably listening at the door."

Mike grunted. "They probably think we're going to end up trying to kill each other. Hey… Which of us is older?"

Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"Does it matter?"

"Damn straight, it does! Seniority, buddy boy. When's your birthday?"

"I'll be forty-five on August 20," Bobby admitted warily. A grin lit up Mike's face.

"Ha! I'm nearly a year older. I've got seniority."

At that, Bobby looked distinctly unsettled.

"Fine. You have seniority. Can we move on, please?"

"What is it?" Mike wondered, not so taken with his newly-acquired status as big brother that he didn't notice Bobby's discomfort.

"I have an older brother," Bobby explained after a moment's hesitation. "Richard. He… He takes after Dad."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning he's an abusive and often violent alcoholic with a gambling addiction. We… We weren't exactly best friends when we were growing up."

"Translation: You couldn't stand the sight of each other," Mike interpreted. Bobby answered that with a quick confirming nod.

"Richie and I… We competed for Dad's attention. Richie won, but the attention he got only succeeded in turning him into a carbon copy of Dad. He turned mean fairly early on, and he took his cue from Dad in the way he treated me."

"Let me guess. You were their whipping boy, right?"

"Pretty much," Bobby admitted.

"Shit," Mike sighed. "I guess we both had pretty crappy childhoods. Well, if nothing else, we can at least empathise with each other."

Bobby drew in a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Mike."

The other detective did a double-take, staring at Bobby incredulously.

"You're sorry? For what?"

"For… For this. I know you have good memories of your dad."

"Well, yeah, I do, but this isn't going to spoil that. If anything, I guess it'll make me appreciate them that much more. Especially if Dad knew I wasn't his. Because if he did know, he didn't let it affect the way he treated me."

"You were lucky. He sounds like he was a good man."

"He was," Mike confirmed. "If he hadn't died when he did, a lot of the shit that I went through would never have happened, I'm sure of it." He looked back at Bobby. "And I don't want to hear you apologising again, do you hear me? We're not responsible for our parents' actions, Bobby. Not by any stretch of the imagination."

Bobby had to smile at Mike's fervent words. Already, Mike seemed to taking seriously his role of big brother.

"Got it. No apologising."

"Good," Mike said, pacified. "Now, how about we let Deakins and the ladies back in, so they can see that we are actually capable of talking without killing each other."


tbc...