A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long for me to upload. I got a little busy the last couple days and just had time today to sit down and write it. Thank you all for the reviews again. :] I took what a lot of what you said into account so let me know what you think. As always, Read and Review. :]

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Oh yeah. I do drop the F bomb once. Just a for warning, because I forgot to let you all know in the last chapter. My apologizes.


CHAPTER 3

Alex truly did not want to have this conversation right now. She had just woken up, maybe twenty minutes ago, with a major headache. She watched Bobby leave and the look on Joes face said it all. He knew that she was in love with Bobby.

Before Alex was able to say anything, Joe stood up from the bed. The creaking of the bed springs caught Alex's attention before the absence of the weight. He paced the floor of her hospital room, rubbing the back of his neck as he did. The familiarity of the action struck her, and she instantly thought of Bobby. The similarities between their actions when they were upset or confused, were unbelievable that she was surprised she hadn't seen it before.

"Do you love him?" Joe blurted out and for a moment Alex was caught off guard.

"Is that really the first thing you want to ask me?"

Joe stopped pacing, and shot an angry glare at Alex. When she matched him glare for glare, his face softened and he sighed. He opted for the chair near the bed this time, rather than sharing the same proximity with Alex.

"How are you?" He tried to sound sincere, but given the recent information he had just processed, he found it difficult.

"I'm good, actually." She gave him a small smile.

Silence filled the room again for a few moments and Alex finally took in how awkward the situation really was. Her husband and her had become strangers. The silence in a room they shared together was uncomfortable, and she found herself searching for something to say.

"I missed you." Joe said it, and she felt a stab at her heart.

"I missed you too." She hadn't seen him in over 9 years. He left so suddenly that she didn't even get to say goodbye. She spent years trying to get over him, the pain that she endured was indescribable.

It was silent for a few minutes before Alex couldn't take it any longer. "Are you going to say anything? Or are we just going to sit here like strangers because I know I'm not the only one who feels the awkward tension."

Joe just nodded his head. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"That's a good start." Alex was furious. She really didn't want to fight with him because he had just gotten back from the dead, so to speak, but she couldn't understand why he didn't try to contact her.

"I..." He hesitated. "I tried calling you, Alex you have to believe me."

She sighed. "Yeah. I understand that they probably had your phones wired. But you could have written..."

"I tried. They went through all my mail before it was sent to the post office." His eyes were pleading. "I tried everything...I missed you so much...."

She brought her hand up to her nose and pinched the bridge of it. She was overwhelmed with emotions right now. The sun shone through the window next to her, as it started to set. The glimmer of her ring and the sun together produced a glare, that shot right into Joes eye.

"You're engaged?" His voice was surprised and his voice cracked just a bit.

She nodded her head. "Yeah Joe. Did you expect me to wait around for you? I thought you were dead!"

He flew out of the chair, pushing it away from him. It landed on the floor near the other side of the room.

"I can't believe this!"

Alex was just as angry as he was, but she had to restrain herself because she knew it would only make matters worse for her and she wasn't going to stay in the hospital any longer than she had to.

"I can't believe you..." She kept her voice calm and steady. "You have no right to come in here and just expect me to drop everything and expect things to go back to normal."

Joe was pacing the floor again, trying to keep his anger suppressed. "I honestly don't know what I expected Alex." He sneered. "But it definitely wasn't that." He pointed his finger towards her left hand and she defensively pulled it toward her.

"What do you want me to do?" Alex asked. "You want me to just pretend like the last nine years didn't happen?"

"No," Joe spat out. "Of course not."

"Then what?"

"I just want to know what happened to you in these last nine years. What changed?"

Alex nodded her head. "I made Detective."

Joes face beamed, and he smiled. "I'm proud of you."

"Major Case."

Joe nodded his head. "I always knew you would, Alex. You're an incredible co- Detective."

She smiled. "I am pretty damn good."

"Who is he?" Joe asked, and Alex rolled her eyes. She only knew that they would be back to this conversation soon enough.

"It doesn't matter who, I love him Joe."

Joe shook his head then stopped pacing. He stood right at the foot of her bed, and shock grew on his face in a moment and his jaw dropped.

"It's him, isn't it?"

Alex sighed and rolled her eyes. "Bobby? Yes..."

Joe let out an exasperated laugh. "Your partner. Your fucking partner Alex."

She shot out of the bed, and stood up. She immediately felt a little light headed, but pushed it aside. She stood up right next to him, her face right up to his chest. She lifted her head in order to match his glares.

"Really? You're going to judge me right now?"

"I thought you would have known better." He muttered quietly, turning around to leave the room.

Alex's jaw dropped and she grabbed his arm before he was able to open the door. "He's a damn good cop Joe. One of the most incredible men that I have worked with. On top of that, he's sweet, and loving, and honest with me and he trusts me with his life. And I trust him with mine. So don't you come in here ridiculing him and me."

Joe opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Alex pushed him towards the door.

"Get out."

"You really have changed, Alex."

He shook his before frowning and opening the door. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door on his way and left Alex alone in the now silent room.

She felt the pain of getting out of her bed so quickly starting to catch up with her so she slowly made her way towards her bed. She got back under the sheets and turned away from the window curling herself into a ball. She took a few deep breaths, before she began to cry.