Two chapters in one night? I don't know what's gotten into me. Hope you enjoy them, and thanks to all of you kind folks who have reviewed.

Chapter 7: An Invitation for One

Bobby had quieted Eames' curiosity about his talk with Ross with a cryptic "Later" and a look in his eyes that promised her the full story. And he lived up to it when they went for sandwiches at lunch. She was impressed at Ross' support for Bobby, and they returned to the bullpen in an upbeat mood.

They were surprised to discover Frankie Lester there, talking with Logan and Barek. Bobby and Alex sauntered over to see what was up, and as they rounded a pillar, they realized with dismay that Patterson was hovering nearby, listening in.

"Hey, Goren," Lester said. "You don't look too bad, considering."

"Hi, Frankie. Thanks," Bobby replied. "This is my partner, Alex Eames. Eames, this is Frankie Lester, our point guard in the basketball game yesterday."

"Nice to meet you. I hear your team was kicking ass yesterday," Alex said, shaking Lester's hand and smiling. She deliberately ignored Patterson, who had moved a few steps closer to her, much to Bobby's chagrin.

"Yeah, we were a pretty good combination," Lester said.

"So what brings you up here to the 11th floor?" Bobby asked.

"Uh, actually, I was here on a little recruiting mission," Lester said, with just a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "The 1PP team desperately needs a shooting guard, and Mike has the prettiest jump shot I've seen in a while."

"But I was explaining to him that you and I have a lot of fun pounding on each other in our one-on-one games, and I don't want give them up," Mike told Bobby.

"Is it an either/or? Couldn't you do both?" Alex asked.

"Even though it's just recreational ball, we take it pretty seriously," Lester explained. "We practice two or three times a week in addition to our games."

"How do you get any police work done, with a schedule like that?" Alex asked.

"It's not easy," Lester said with a laugh, "but that's one of the reasons for all the practices. If a guy misses one, he still has opportunities to work out with the team. Our coach has us running several offenses and defenses, and we have to practice so we can work as a unit."

"Who's the coach?" Bobby asked.

"Chip Hunter."

"Assistant director of NYPD athletics," Bobby mused, impressed.

"Yep, and a huge basketball fan. Loves the game, knows it inside and out," Lester said proudly. "He's sharp enough to have us in the running for the NYPD high league championship. Deep down, I think he thinks he's Coach K."

"Who?" Alex asked with a puzzled look.

"Mike Krzyzewski," Bobby told her. "He coaches Duke and the U.S. Olympic team. He's probably the best college basketball coach in the country. Really smart, classy guy. His teams play very disciplined defense, and they play hard every minute."

"Exactly," Lester said, smiling at Bobby's thorough analysis. "Coach Hunter is just about as demanding too."

"Well, it sounds as if he picked a good role model," Alex observed.

"But no matter how good the coaching, you've got to have some talent, and the one thing we're lacking is a big-time shooter," Lester said. "That's where Mike comes in. He'd fit right in at the 2 guard spot."

"Heck, I don't even know if I could play high league ball," Mike said. "I'm not in my 20s anymore."

"Not many of us at the rec level are," Lester said. "The young guys who can really play are all on the elite teams, playing regional ball against other police departments on the benefit circuit. That means us slightly older guys who can still play the game are free to knock heads in high league rec ball. It gets pretty spirited, and there's a lot of unit pride. And this is the first time the 1PP team has had a chance at the championship."

"You guys have no chance," Patterson butted in, smirking.

"Oh, and why is that?" Lester asked, annoyed.

"Because Brooklyn's Finest is bigger, faster and more talented," Patterson said proudly. "And since I'm still eligible to play for them, they have the best shooting guard in the league."

"And how are you eligible since you're at 1PP now?" Alex asked.

"I started the season there, so I get to stay on their roster," he said. Then he gave her a smug grin. "I know that's a huge disappointment to you, since you would have wanted to come out and cheer me on if I were on the 1PP team."

"Don't flatter yourself," Alex said, her boiling blood coloring her cheeks. "I have no interest in watching you do anything. Not now, not ever!"

"Easy, Eames," Bobby said, pleased at her rejection of Patterson but fearing that a nasty incident could be brewing. The half-dozen other detectives in the bullpen had heard the harsh tones and discarded their paperwork to listen.

"Well, it's a nice offer, but I have a prior commitment with Bobby," Logan said. "Unless you've got a spot for him too."

"Sorry, but we're full up on big guys," Lester said in an apologetic tone.

"It's OK," Bobby said, being careful to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "I think you should do it, Mike."

"Gee, Bobby, I don't know. We've been having a lot of fun. I hate to mess it up," Mike said uncertainly.

"Really, it's OK. We can get back to our games when the rec league season is over. It sounds like you could really make a difference. It would be great if 1PP could win a championship. We're always lousy in athletics."

"That's because all the brains are concentrated here," Carolyn said with a smile. "Not enough of the brawn."

"Hey, we've got some brawn too, like this guy right here," Mike said, pointing at Bobby. He gave Lester a sharp look. "I can't believe you have a better 4 player than him."

"Foreplayer?" Patterson interjected, smirking again. "I thought only Detective Eames would know how good a foreplayer Goren is."

The crude remark made jaws around the bullpen drop in shock. Alex whirled on him furiously, but for once, Bobby was quicker – and even angrier. Two long strides and he grabbed Patterson by the lapels, lifted him and pinned him against the wall.

"You son of a bitch, you need to learn some manners," Bobby shouted, his face inches from Patterson's, his look scarier than anything Alex had ever seen from him in an interrogation. Bobby's left forearm was pressed dangerously hard against Patterson's neck, and his chest and right arm kept the smaller detective against the wall, his feet a few inches off the floor.

Ross, who had come out of his office and lingered on the edge of the group, moved in quickly and stopped a few feet to Bobby's left. Terrified at how close Bobby was to doing something he would regret forever, he resisted the temptation to snap an order at his enraged detective.

"Easy there, Goren," he said softly but firmly. "I think he knows he was out of line. How about letting go of him now?"

"First he's going to apologize to my partner, Captain. He can insult me all he wants, but I won't let him say stuff like that to Eames," Bobby said.

The room was electric with tension, all eyes fixed on Bobby, but Ross sensed that he was trying to gain control of his temper.

Recognizing the danger, Eames had moved to Bobby's right. "Please, Bobby, he's not worth it. Let him go."

"Apologize. Now!" Bobby told Patterson. The detective's mouth opened, but all that came out was a strangled gasp. Bobby realized he'd better ease off or he was going to crush Patterson's larynx. He pulled his forearm away but kept the man pinned to the wall. "Apologize!" he repeated.

"Bobby, it's OK," Alex said fearfully.

"No, it's not."

"S-Sorry, D-Detective Eames," Patterson managed to get out.

Bobby relaxed his grip and let Patterson go. Their eyes met; Bobby's smoldered with anger, but Patterson's held burning hatred.

"Captain Ross, this detective assaulted me!" Patterson sputtered, his voice hoarse.

"Like you assaulted him yesterday?" Ross asked pointedly. "Seems to me that any charge you make is going to be met with a countercharge, and since you made the first move, I'd be very careful, if I were you."

Patterson looked at Ross and then at Bobby, and though he was seething, he kept his mouth shut.

"Now that we've got that settled, it's time you and I had a little talk," Ross said. "In my office. Now."

As the two marched off, the detectives watching the incident averted their eyes and pretended to get back to work. Lester sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, folks. I didn't mean to set up another fight."

"It's OK. Not your fault," Mike said. He kept his eyes on Bobby, who had slumped a little as his fury drained and was leaning, head down, with both hands on Mike's desk. Alex had a hand on his back and was quietly, soothingly talking to him.

"So, you'll play for us?" Lester pressed, not about to let all this effort be in vain.

"Yeah, I guess so," Mike said, knowing deep down that he wanted to play but feeling bad about how it might affect Bobby. He determined to figure out a way to keep their friendship strong.

"Great. Practice is tonight at 6 at the gym," Lester said. "Uh, see you there."

Lester slipped quietly out of the bullpen, and when he got to the elevator, he shook his head ruefully. Yes, Goren could help the team, but the incident he had just witnessed – provocation notwithstanding – made him even more certain that he and Coach Hunter had made the right decision not to invite Goren to play.

The big detective's odd reputation preceded him in everything, and neither Lester nor Hunter had wanted to take a chance on asking a possible head case to join the team. A smooth-operating team needed to get along. And they just didn't see a reason to have a loose cannon like Goren around.