TITLE: Those who burn twice as bright Chapter 2
AKA: Tubbie at T or what used to be PG
BETAed by Rinne ( thank you, again )
ARCHIVE : Anyone who would like. Drop me a line so I can vist.
SYNOPSIS: A Bar. A match. Two minds.
COMMENTS: Alex listens to a drunk and brooding Bobby.
DISCLAIMER: Everything relating to Criminal Intent is owned by Dick Wolf and NBC productions.Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.
The bar door closed slowly as they stepped into the cold New York night.
Well, Alex was stepping. Bobby was weaving.
All they had to do was follow the outside wall of the bar to the back, make a left, and get past seven vehicles to get to the SUV they needed.
She gripped him tighter around the waist."Bobby the car isn't that far, but the way you're staggering, it might take awhile to get there."
Bobby smiled as if he just got the punch line of a joke. "Blind staggers, a disease of the central nervous system affecting horses."
He was drifting to his right away from the wall toward the street. "And characterized by an unsteady swaying gait and frequent falling."
"Oh no you don't. Focus on walking." Alex now taxed under the relaxing deadness of his weight, tried to steer him back on course.
He regained his stride and headed back the way she was maneuvering him. "In its severe form there is impairment of vision, and a tendency of the affected animal to stand with the forehead pressing against an immovable obstacle." And to demonstrate, that is exactly what Bobby did. Only he had put the top of his head against the wall, looking down at the sidewalk, and linked his fingers behind his neck.
Alex released him to find to her amazement he was supported upright by this position under his own power.
That was good, as she needed a break. She placed her back against the wall and slide down into a sitting position.
She was listening to the night, deciding on her next course of action. Specifically how the hell to get him into the car before daybreak.
Then she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked up at him.
"Bobby, do you have the giggles?" He nodded and giggled even harder. It was infectious, she began to laugh as well.
"Do you need a hand, or will he be holding the building up all night ?" G.Lynn Bishop had rounded the corner to see two of the major case squad's finest detectives looking very drunk and disorderly in public. She held a hand out to Alex and pulled her up.
"Well leaving him here did cross my mind, he was getting heavy." Alex knitted her brow. "Why are you here?"
"Just dumped my date off, was on my way home, saw you two and figured as the department has enough bad PR, it would be best to get you off the street."
"Nice," Alex replied. "Good thing I know you're kidding."
"No really, dumped my date." Bishop looked at Bobby and back to Alex. "Which side you want ?"
"Bishop, hi." Bobby had turned himself around and was leaning against the the wall."Where is your date?"
"In the East River" Bishop folded her arms across her chest. "He forgot our date and his friend said I would probably find him here. I did. He was with...lets just say this story gets ugly and leave it at that. "
"OK then." Eames sucked in her breath on that revelation. She headed towards Bobby, and motioned for Lynn to follow.
They managed to weave through the parked cars and get Bobby into the backseat with minor damage to themselves and the other cars.
Bishop held out her hand for Alex's keys. "I know you're in better shape than Goren right now, but I haven't had a drink tonight and I'll catch a cab after I help you unload."
"Can't argue with that." Alex dropped the keys into Lynn's hand, and gave directions to Bobby's apartment.
Alex sat in the back with Bobby and rolled the windows down.
The cold air freshly blowing though the vehicle, was definitely a waking element.
"I don't need to be sober, I just need to relax." Bobby tried to emphasise with a pouting look.
"Just a temporary sober, the minute you hit your warm apartment it will go away. I promise." Alex assured him.
Bobby smiled and reached over to hold her hand.
Bishop drove smoothly along the streets to the apartment complex. She would steal short glances in the rear view mirror.
She saw Alex speak softly to Bobby, but, for most of the ride, the backseat was quite.
Bishop thought, ' Two people, randomly assigned together, and almost immediately they had become the department's Dynamic Duo'
She had read their files, both had been tops in their respective fields, but how could two people click like that?
As a team they kicked some serious crime butt. The citizens of New York and the police had received a gift of the gifted.
Bishop wondered if they had a clue as to how tight a team they made. Of course they did, the two brightest stars in the department.
They were confident, not arrogant. Just doing their jobs and shinning bright.
Lynn also knew there was always someone wanting to take down someone higher up. Not tonight, not for her fellow detectives.
They deserved better than that. Everyone deserves to blow off some steam, and not be scrutinized in their off hours behavior.
Her "date" had been a politicking power player. The kind that use slander and press manipulations to get ahead in the world.
The type to put a little tarnish on the other guy, so that they can seem brighter. Bastard.
He picked the wrong persons to target. Step one was going to be Bobby at the bar to night.
Detective Bishop had uncovered the slime ball's motives and unearthed enough dirt on him to redirect his attentions else where.
There's enough real problems in the city with out jerks playing stupid games.
Lynn parked the car and stole one last glance back.
Bobby emerged and seemed to be able to navigate on his own.
Alex pulled a small overnight bag out, and closed the door.
"Here's your keys." Handing them back to Alex, Lynn noted the bag in Alex's hand.
"Guess that means we don't need to share a cab."
"Girl Scout," Alex lifted the bag up, "always prepared. Thanks again for all the help."
"Just doing my job. If you're all good, I'll go catch a cab."
"Bishop, here." Bobby had reached into his pocket and placed a small object in her palm, then closed her hand around it."Thank you. "
"Sorry your date didn't turn out so good." He then turned and started to slowly walk toward the front doors of the apartment building.
Lynn opened her hand and saw Alex smile.
"He really means it.'' Alex looked at the gift in Lynn's hand.
"Detective's like puzzles and mysteries.That's for your mind."
Lynn nodded as Alex turned to catch up to her partner.
As they walked off together she realized they were a puzzle.
Lynn thought about how much she knew about them ( about a 1/100th of what she didn't know )
and how that little information could really screw up the odds in some of the office pools.
She held back a smirk, more jerks playing stupid games.
"I think my date turned out very well," she said to no one but the night.
Her hand closed around the match book.