Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or profit from them.

Revenge.

Chapter 8.

Safe House.

Alex had just finished drinking a cup of coffee with Deakins, catching up on old times when she heard Bobby starting to stir. When she reached his bed she placed a hand on his good shoulder and gently encouraged him not to try and sit up and reached over to the table and got the remote for the bed and brought Bobby up into a seated position.

Today was the first day without a fever. She hoped that he would be able to try and eat something. She had made a chicken soup. Her mother had always told her Chicken soup is a cure for everything.

"Morning sleepy, how do you feel?" She offered him a drink of water and placed the straw between his lips.

" Whoa, slow down. Small sips or you know you will regret it." she took the cup and placed it back onto the table once he finished drinking.

Bobby waited until she was facing him again. His memory was fuzzy the last coherent memory was being shot.

"Copa?" He didn't need to finish the sentence Alex knew what he was asking.

"They were forced to kill him, otherwise he would have killed you."

Bobby closed his eyes and nodded. He missed the shudder that went through Alex's body after she finished her last sentence. She had not slept very well since they were at the safe house. She kept on having nightmares and in these nightmares Copa had succeeded and killed Bobby.

She nearly jumped when she felt his hand settle on top of hers.

"Talk to me Eames."

Bobby watched helplessly as Alex shook her head and then got up and walked to the kitchen.

Shaw had been watching them interact. When Alex left she sat down next to Bobby. He looked at her.

"How is she? Was she hurt in any way?"

Shaw was honest with him. "Not physically. I think her wounds aren't visible to the naked eye, unless you really look hard." Bobby nodded.

"Has she been getting any sleep?" It was a stupid question as he knew the answer.

"She has rarely left that chair beside your bed, the nightmares always wake her up."

Shaw saw Alex returning with a tray in her hands and excused herself from Bobby. He grabbed her hand. " Thanks." She nodded at him and left.

He watched her set the tray down onto the table beside his bed. He saw the soup in the bowl he didn't feel hungry, but he wouldn't disappoint her.

"That smells delicious." He was pleased when he saw the ghost of a smile appear on her face.

"Thanks it's my moms chicken 'cure it all' soup recipe. You need to eat to get your strength up. Doctor says that we have to start getting you on your feet and doing some walking." She placed a napkin under his chin and started to feed him. After four spoons he had reached his limit.

"Thanks, that is delicious. I just wish I had my appetite and could eat more."

"That will return just give it time. Right now it is time to get you washed and dressed. Then we can help you take a small walk." She gathered the tray and walked away.

He watched her then realized that she must have been washing him all along. He didn't need to look to know that he was naked under the covers. This is going to be embarrassing he thought. She returned with a bowl of hot soapy water and a wash cloth and towel and started to wash him down. When she reached his waist he stopped her and took the wash cloth from her hand. He noticed her look of gratitude at this awkward moment. He proceeded to clean himself beneath the blanket and then he returned the cloth into the bowl of water. Alex finished off washing his feet. Then sat down next to him.

" I uh... I wasn't sure if you wanted to keep the beard."

He raised his left hand and ran it through the hair on his face. He was shocked at how long his beard had become.

" I kind of got used to not shaving." He grinned at her. " Although it does need a trim. If that is OK."

Alex nodded and smiled back at him and plugged in the beard trimmer. She offered it to him.

" Uh I don't think I will be able to.. uh... get everything."

Alex sat on the bed closer to him and switched the trimmer on.

" That's OK. I can do it." She proceeded to trim the beard.

In truth Bobby could have trimmed his own beard. He just liked having Alex close and touching him.

" I missed you." Alex jumped as she hadn't expected him to speak.

"You carry on shocking me when I'm using this and you are going to be missing a nose!" She relaxed and smiled at him.

" I missed you too." She could never stay mad at him for long.

He watched her. It was cute the way she bit on her bottom lip when she was concentrating.

" How is life at Homeland Security?" She shrugged.

" It's different and challenging it keeps me busy. OK we will treat your wound and change the dressing OK?"

He nodded and watched as she drained the wound and cleaned it and changed the dressing.

" Did that hurt?" He realized he had zoned out by watching her and shook his head.

" Eames?" Once again she shook her head and started to lay him some boxers and jogging pants onto the bed. This time he wasn't going to let it drop. They needed to talk. He needed to talk! He reached out and touched her hand stilling her movement.

" Alex, I'm sorry but I just can't continue as if nothing ever happened. I can't." He held her hand and waited.

Alex wanted to flee, but he was holding her. Damn him! How could he put her through this again! She remembered back to the reason why he had left Major Case. After Gyson had cleared him and she met him outside the office. She knew that things had changed between them. She had even thought that Bobby wanted to kiss her that day.

Then a month later after they had just wrapped up a very difficult case. She had agreed to go for a drink with him after work. She wound up drinking way too much and Bobby had walked her home. She wasn't drunk but the alcohol had certainly lowered her defenses. As she had turned to say goodnight, Bobby had kissed her and she returned the kiss. Nothing else happened though, Bobby had been a gentleman. She was glad because she would have slept with him.

Things became awkward after that at work. He had asked her out several times and she had refused always claiming to be busy or too tired.

One evening after she had once again told him she was too tired she was in her living room and the doorbell rang. It was Bobby.

She let him in and they both sat down on her couch. What he then told her totally devastated her. He said that it was never his intention to cause her distress and that he had handed in his resignation. He was now fully eligible for his pension.

He had wanted more and after their kiss, he was no longer able to concentrate on the job and because of that he had become a liability in their partnership. He would not put her life at risk just because he had realized that he had fallen in love with her and had been in love with her for years.

She had been shocked at his admission and didn't react until it was too late and he had already gotten up and left. She had called in the next morning and told Hannah she needed some personal time and spent the rest of the week thinking about how things were going to continue. She just couldn't let herself do it again she couldn't fall in love with another cop. It was however too late she had.

Two weeks later she decided to drive by to his apartment. The super told her that he had left three days previously for some vacation to Maine.

She then made the decision not to go after him and that she no longer wanted to stay at Major Case. She applied for the Lieutenants post at Homeland Security and got it.

They had continued talking to each other in phone calls or emails. He had congratulated her in her new job. She could tell however that he was purposely keeping a formal distance between them.

She hadn't seen him until that fateful evening when he had been shot. She had watched the Doctor fight to keep him alive. She had remembered what the bar owner had once quoted from Scott Fitzgerald. 'Show friendship for a man when he is alive, not after he is dead.'

It was then she had realized that she had been a fool to herself. Even if she had refused to admit it to herself she had already fallen hopelessly for another cop. If he had died, she would never have recovered and she would have mourned what she had never allowed herself to feel for him. She had survived Joe's death, she could never survive if she lost Bobby.

He had held her hand and watched her inner battle with herself. He knew what she was thinking about and he waited until he felt her relax. He gave her the smile that he reserved just for her.

"Alex, it's OK. Remember I'm no longer a cop." A little tug on her hand was all it took and Alex closed the distance and kissed him, she claimed his mouth and then she tangled her fingers into his hair to hold him in place. As if he was going to go anywhere. He smiled and returned her kiss.

It was at that exact moment when Deakins entered the room. He watched them kissing. Not wanting to disturb them he turned and left the room.

"It's about time." He said grinning as he left them in privacy.

T.B.C...