Disclaimer: they're not mine, yada, yada, yada.

I am getting so excited to get this wrapped up that I feel like I am rushing and that some of my descriptions are lacking. I also think I am not catching grammar errors so I will apologize now. I hope this meets your expectations…

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Chapter Seven

Goren stood there planning his next move. He figured Ross was still watching on the other side of the mirror and he had certainly heard Alex. He knew his next step would be to go to meet Ross and Alex. But without Alex talking to him he had no idea how to proceed. The last thing he wants to do is draw Ross' attention to his feelings for Alex. But, well, it's a little too late for that.

Having no other options available, Goren walked out of one interrogation and into another; certain this one would be a lot more painful than the first.

Ross watched the exchange between his detectives. He noticed how well they worked the interview together. But that comes a no surprise. He has always been in awe of how their interrogations are so seamless; how they follow each others twists and turns until their suspects are giving them all the information they need. He knows that the success they have as a team has everything to do with the feelings they so obviously share for each other. Their partnership relies on absolute trust, deep caring, and love. Up until last night, Ross was certain that the love part was there but not acted upon. Now, he's not so certain. Is he being taken for a fool? That is the question that has him ripping mad.

Goren entered Ross' office without knocking and closed the door behind him. Eames was already there. Alex was standing, arms crossed and feet squared. Ready for a fight. Ross was sitting at his desk, busying himself with paperwork until both of his victims - uh - detectives were in there. Goren passed by Eames and took a seat. He rested his left ankle on top of his right knee and played with his pen. He kept his head tilted down but kept casting quick glances towards Ross and Eames. It seemed to him that he walked into a game of chicken. Who was going to cave in and be the first to speak. It certainly wasn't going to be him.

"Detectives, I think you both know why you are here…" Ross left the statement floating out there. Silence. Neither detective took the bait. Ross tried again, this time he directed his question to Alex. "Detective Eames, tell me, why did it become necessary to climb onto your partners lap?"

"Well, Captain, once we got over to the couch, detective Goren informed me that he had a possible suspect. He said the suspect was at the bar and since my back was to the bar I had to find a way to get a look at the guy without being too obvious." Eames kept her chin up and had her jaw set in defiance.

"Okay, that makes sense, but what was the purpose of, uh, licking the salt off your glass?" Just the mention of this made Goren squirm in his chair. And yet again, his squirming did not go unnoticed by Ross.

Holy shit, he's done tossing softballs, Eames thought.

"Well…Captain, I guess I was just trying to make the guy think that I was flirting and coming on strong since that is how those girls behaved." Phew, I think that sounded really good!

Ross contemplated Eames. She stood there ready for battle. But what Eames didn't know is that he could see her belly ring through her sheer top. He saw the 'B'.

"Detective Eames, why do you have a B for a belly ring?"

"Uh, see, that boyfriend I told you about, well, his name is Brian". Shit, I am lying though my teeth.

"Really…", now, Ross turns to Bobby.

"Detective Goren, you certainly are quiet." He waited for Goren to respond. But Goren just stared at his boss.

"Detective, I saw that you touched Eames' breasts and that you had your hands under your partners' shirt. Can you explain that to me?"

Goren repositioned himself in the chair, putting both feet on the ground.

"Uh, no, Captain, I didn't realize I did that so I can't explain it to you."

That little mother fucker! Did he just say that with a straight face? Eames was fuming.

"Did you realize it when she kissed you and you kissed her back?" Ross was still pissed, but he was also slightly amused at this game they were all playing.

Goren quickly thought back about how it felt to have her straddling him, kissing him. He felt himself begin to grin and quickly wiped it away.

"Something funny?" Eames hissed.

Goren didn't acknowledge her. He felt that there was only one way to escape this mess. If he played dumb, Ross wouldn't be able to 'prove' that something was going on with them. The last thing Goren wanted was to force Ross to reassign them. He didn't want to give Ross any ammunition to be able to do that. So as angry as Eames is now, and he knows it's about to get worse, he believed it was his only option.

"Captain, I am going to be frank with you. Eames, I mean no disrespect. But captain, Eames has a boyfriend and I, well I, uh, enjoy playing the field. A -and while I find Eames to be the best partner I have ever had, I -I am not, uh, attracted to her in a non-work related way. S-so what you think you saw tonight was nothing more than two detectives doing their job. We - we had to get the guy and we did."

Eames stood there, stunned. She let the words sink in. Then, she felt like her head was going to explode. He was doing it again, he was hanging her out to dry, all by herself.

Part of Ross wanted to press the issue, but once he saw Eames' reaction he thought better of it.

"Well, I guess that about clears that up then. I was hoping what I saw wasn't something I thought it was. It would be a shame if you told me that you two were involved outside of the office. If you had said that, I would have to consider ending your partnership and that is something I am sure none of us would want." Ross was hoping he got his message across to them; keep it out of the office and you'll be fine.

Goren's eyes snapped up to meet Ross'. Ross looked at Goren, then Eames, then back to Goren. Well, Goren got the message, but I think Eames' is so beyond mad that she can't think straight.

"Okay you two, it's been a long day and I'm going to go home." Ross stood up and waited for Goren and Eames to take the hint.

Eames couldn't get out of there fast enough. She grabbed her keys and her bag in one swift motion and headed for the elevator. As she stood there, she could feel her body shaking in anger. How could he? How could he say those things? And the worst of all, did he mean any of it?

Now Eames began to vacillate between anger and overwhelming hurt. She knew she had to go back. She had to ask him. Eames turned around and bumped straight into Goren.

"What the hell was that, Bobby?!" She practically growled the words.

Bobby threw both hand up in front of him, "Eames, look, it's been a long day. I'm exhausted, you're exhausted. All I want to do is go downstairs, take a shower and collapse in the crib. This is going to have to wait until tomorrow." He began walking towards the stairs. She followed him.

"No, see, we are going to deal with this right now." As Eames said this, Goren was heading down the stairs, sometimes taking two at a time. Eames was following right behind him. He wasn't going to get away from her.

He pulled open the door and continued down the hall towards the men's locker room.

"Bobby, stop!"

"It's late, Eames. Go home, leave me alone." With that, he disappeared into the locker room.

Alex was about to turn purple she was so mad. There was no way in hell he was going to dismiss her like that. She needed answers and she was not going to let him shut her out. She was going to prove to herself that what they felt for each other in the clubs was not made up.

She opened the locker room door. Once inside she locked it behind her.

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a/n: you like?