A/N: For what it's worth, canon tells us that Joe died sometime around 1998 ("The War at Home") so that's when all this is taking place. Alex is a detective at this point in my world, but she is probably still carrying a silver shield. I suspect the gold shield, the 1st grade promotion, and the transfer to Major Case happened about the same time, but those events are still down the road a bit further in this timeline. Most of this stuff is inspired by all the episodes where they look at each other and say "Let's Play!"

Chapter Four – Playtime

"Ok, Simmons. I've had it. It's 7 pm and I am leaving. The rest of this paperwork will still be here in the morning."

"What's up Eames, got a hot date?" said her partner Ray, aware that his teasing might be taken the wrong way by someone who had lost her husband a few weeks earlier. But that was the way they were, never serious, always joking around. And he didn't want that to change. Besides he was sure that she'd come back with some smart-ass comment to put him in his place. So he was unprepared for the silence that had followed his jibe. When he didn't hear Alex say anything, he looked up at her and saw in her eyes a mixture of amusement and tension.

He almost fell off his chair when she finally said "Well, what's it to you if I do?"

Always one to keep it light, he shot back. "Hey, whatever floats your boat. Just be careful. There are all kinds of weirdos out there."

Her snort allayed his fears, but only for a short time when she smilingly said, "Weirdos are my specialty. You should meet this guy I'm going out with tonight. It's our first date, so I don't want to get my hopes up…"

"Eames…"

"Simmons?"

They just stared at each other for a moment, and before they could continue, her phone rang. Picking it up with her usual crisp "Eames" she nodded and said "Okay, no problem Murphy. Hey, send him on up will you. Thanks."

"Well, Simmons, it seems you get to meet my date. You better be nice to him, or God knows what he might do to you."

"God knows, hmmm?"

"You have no idea…" she said, laughing to herself.

She started gathering her things together and Simmons just sat and watched her warily. She was acting very unlike herself and he didn't know if he should be worried or not. He decided he was going to have to check this guy out and see what was up with a man who would date a widow of two weeks.

She knew Ray was probably watching her, although she wouldn't look at him. She wasn't sure why she was playing with him like this, but something about characterizing her going out with Robert as a date amused her immensely. She almost couldn't wait to introduce these two men. Then, as if on cue, Robert poked his head through the squad room doors.

He looked around, located her, waved, and started towards her desk.

As he walked towards her, she was suddenly a little shy. She realized that the last, and only, time she'd seen him he'd been wearing his clerical collar. Now he was wearing a pair of dark pants and a casual cloth shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and he had a brown overcoat slung over his arm. Plus, as he stopped in front of her, she realized just how tall he really was. Much of their first meeting was a bit hazy for her, and she began to realize how little she knew about this man standing in front of her.

"Alex? Everything OK?" he finally said, leaning over a bit trying to establish eye contact. He'd had no trouble recognizing her. It helped that she was the only woman in the room, but besides that, there was just something about the way she carried herself. He realized that he'd been staring at her and she had yet to respond to his greeting, but finally he heard her say, "Oh, no, Robert, everything's fine."

"You look nice."

"Thanks." With a wicked gleam in her eye she said to him, "I told you I'd be wearing more clothes than the last time you saw me."

Before he could think of what to say in response, her partner stood up, walked around their desks, cleared his throat and said, "Hi, I'm Ray Simmons, Alex's partner."

Robert shook Ray's hand, instantly recognizing the thinly-veiled tension in the man's introduction. Wanting to put Ray at ease, he started to explain.

"Ray, it's nice to meet you. I don't know what Alex's told you about me but I…"

Alex realized she'd better jump in, but at the same time she realized she could have some more fun with this.

"Robert, I was just telling Ray about you before you arrived."

"Well, actually we hadn't gotten much beyond me warning her about the wackos that are out there preying on young women. First dates can be especially dangerous…"

"See what working Vice does to a man, Robert? Ray has a very suspicious mind. I warned him to be careful as God knows what you might do to him."

She looked up at him her eyes dancing with suppressed laughter, willing him to understand and hoping he might just play along.

Two can play at this game, he thought to himself, not sure why she was in such a mischievous mood, but he could read the entreaty in her eyes and was more than happy to play along.

"You know, Ray," he said leaning into Simmons, "I'm sure you have Alex's best interests at heart." He took a step into Ray and used his height to its full advantage. Simmons wasn't short by any means, but at 5'10" Alex's date towered over him by a good six inches. Looking down at Ray he dropped his voice to conspiratorial levels and said, "and God knows some of my …colleagues… have described me as, well, somewhat unorthodox, but you can be certain that I'll see to it that Alex gets exactly what she deserves. And now, Alex, if you're ready I think we should be going."

Before she could even think about responding he reached out, put his hand on her arm and guided her out the doors of the squad room and down the steps onto the sidewalk.

"Robert?"

"Yes?"

"That was some performance."

"Too much?"

"Well let's just say I've never seen Simmons speechless before. Is it very wicked of me to have enjoyed that?"

"Probably."

"You were a good sport. I still can't believe you said what you said. Do the others really think you're unorthodox?"

"Let's just say that we've had some very spirited debates and let it go at that."

"I suspect you enjoy a good argument."

"I also enjoy a good meal. There's a diner a few blocks over with good coffee, decent food, and great pie. Sound good?"

"Sounds great, I'm starved."

"Off we go then. Oh, and on the way over there Alex, you can try and convince me that you didn't pull that stunt just because you were trying to avoid Ray asking too many questions about us…"