Author's Note: Monday, Monday…Here's today's update. Thank you for the wonderful reviews. You all really touch my heart. People who don't understand ask me why I work so hard on fan fiction. I can't adequately explain to them how much this writing means to me, and how much it means to me that I have the small following I do. But it means the world to me. I shall endeavor never to disappoint you. Thank you for reading.

This was so hard to write. So, so hard. I hope the work is quality. The material in this chapter and the next is sensitive and deals with issues that may be tough to read about. Read at your own discretion. Today's post is a bit longer than usual. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent belongs to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Wolf Films, et al. The characters and setting are borrowed without permission. This is a work of fan fiction. The plot belongs to me. I am making no money from this. I humbly request not to be sued.

Title: An Ordinary Family

By: Marion the Geek

Chapter: 10

"Detective Eames?" called a man's voice from her broken in door. "Police."

"Back here," called Bobby. He went to her bedroom door and looked out. Soon a tall, wiry, iron-haired detective came into view. Bobby held out his badge. "I'm Robert Goren. I'm Eames' partner… I live a couple blocks away."

"I know who you are," the older man said gently. "Where's Alex?" It wasn't the same voice that had shouted Police. The way this man said her name, Bobby could tell he knew his partner.

"She's in here," he said. The older detective came forward. For a brief moment he rested a comforting hand on Bobby's arm.

"Detective John Munch," he said. "Manhattan SVU. We're covering her case because she's one of our own," he said by way of explaining how he got a case in Rockaway.

Bobby nodded shortly. "I'm just here to support my partner," he said. "Don't worry. I'll stay out of your way."

"I wasn't worried. I'm glad you're here," said Munch. He stepped into Alex's bedroom and surveyed the scene. His frown deepened as he took in the blood pooling around Mark Jackson's exanimate body. "Alex," he said.

She lifted her head from her knees. "John?"

He went across the room and knelt beside her. "It's me, kiddo," he said. "I'm the primary on your case. My partner, Detective Tutuola, is going to work the scene with the crime scene unit. I'm going with you to the hospital."

Alex nodded slightly.

"Do you need an ambulance or do you want me to take you in my car?" he asked.

"No ambulance," she croaked out, looking shy and embarrassed. "I'm okay."

He held out his hand to her and helped her up. Taking in her tattered clothing he turned back to Bobby. "Detective Goren, can you get her a blanket from the trunk of my car?" asked Munch, tossing Bobby his keys. "We need to leave everything as is in the house."

Bobby nodded. He hurried out to the unmarked police car and retrieved a large gray blanket. He went back inside and shook out the blanket, wrapping it gently around his petit partner.

"Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He dipped his head to catch her eyes. "Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.

She dropped her eyes to avoid his gaze. "You don't have to," she said. Her voice sounded very small.

"Alex…" He reached out to touch her face but hesitated before his fingers brushed her skin. "I'm going to call your father to come get Ivy. I'll stay with you."

She glanced up briefly. "Don't tell him," she said stiffly.

"I'll be discreet," said Bobby. "I'm going to tell him that I'm going with you to the hospital but that you are okay."

"I really don't want my whole family showing up to the hospital," said Alex.

"I'll ask your father to keep quiet until he hears from you," said Bobby.

Alex bit her lip. "Okay," she said. "Thank you."

"I'll pick up a sweat suit from my house for you and I'll meet you at the hospital," said Bobby, edging toward the door.

Alex grabbed his hand. He turned back to her. Her eyes were begging him not to leave her, though she didn't say a word.

Bobby swallowed. "Detective Munch," he said. "Do you mind if I ride along with you and Alex?"

"No," said Munch. "I don't mind."

Bobby walked with his partner toward Munch's car. She never let go of his hand. With his free hand he fished his cell phone from his pocket. He scrolled through his contacts and called Johnny Eames.

A sleepy voice answered on the third ring. "Bobby? Do you have a case?" asked Alex's father.

"I…" Bobby took a deep breath. "I'm riding with Alex to the hospital. I need someone to pick up Ivy."

"Alex? Is she all right? What happened?" Johnny was wide-awake now.

"She was attacked, sir," said Bobby. "She's all right, but she needs to go to the hospital to document her injuries."

"Young man," said Johnny, taking on a fatherly tone. "Stop being cryptic. What happened to my daughter?"

"Sir," said Bobby, blinking at being called a young man at forty-seven. "I'm sorry. Alex asked me not to discuss it. She will tell you herself. She is hoping you'll keep this quiet until she can talk to you herself. Can you get Ivy?"

"Of course," said Johnny. He didn't sound happy about being kept out of the loop.

"Thank you," said Bobby. "Detective Munch and I are taking her to the hospital. I'll be in touc…"

"Munch!" Johnny cut him off. "Manhattan SVU?"

Next to Bobby Alex was glaring. "Nice going," she said. "He knows John."

"Y… yes," Bobby said into the phone. "I have to go. I'm sorry." He flipped his phone closed. He looked sheepishly at his partner. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said wearily. "He'll know better than to tell mom I was raped."

Bobby flinched at the word. He held open a car door for Alex and then went to the other side and joined her in the backseat. He flipped open his phone again and called his house.

Ivy answered after a moment.

"Ivy," he said. "Johnny is going to pick you up. I need to go with Alex. I'll call you in the morning and fill you in."

"Is Alex all right?" asked Ivy.

"That's a hard question to answer, kidlet," said Bobby. "Physically, I think so."

"Fair enough," said Ivy. "Don't forget to call. I'll get my stuff together. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, kidlet," said Bobby.

xxx

The ride to Mount Sinai passed in silence. Munch listened to the breathing of the two detectives sitting in the backseat. Alex's breath was far from steady, but if anything, her big partner's breathing was more ragged.

When he finished parking at the hospital, Munch turned to Alex. "I'll take a preliminary statement from you after your examination," he said. "I'll need you to come in tomorrow to make a formal statement."

"I…uh… I want to get this over with," said Alex. "You can talk to me during the exam… and when we're done here I'd like to go ahead and make my formal statement, if that's okay? I just want to put this behind me."

Her tone was calm. Too calm, Bobby thought.

"We can do it your way," said Munch. "If you ever need a break or you want to stop for the night, just let me know."

"I will," said Alex, looking away distractedly.

Munch dipped his head to look in her eyes. "I mean it, Alex," he said.

"Yeah, all right," she said.

She held the blanket tightly around herself as the two tall men flanked her and led her inside the hospital. Bobby waited with her while Munch made sure the hospital had prepared a room.

When she was settled on the table in the exam room Bobby started to step away, but she reached for his hand. "Please stay," she said, and only he could hear her. Munch moved to her other side as the nurse walked in to begin the exam. Bobby held her hand.

The nurse looked from one man to the other. "I need to photograph her injuries and help her change into a gown," she said. "I'll need you to wait outside."

Munch nodded. "I'll be just outside, Alex," he said. "I'll be back to take your statement." He walked out of the room. Bobby started to follow him out.

"Wait," said Alex. Bobby looked back at her. She turned to the nurse. "Can he stay with me? Please?"

"Alex, maybe I should wait outside," said Bobby, turning a little pink in spite of himself.

"You can look away," said Alex. "I just want you to talk to me. Distract me. Please."

Bobby looked from the nurse to his partner. "Is it all right?" he asked the nurse. She nodded. He looked sheepishly at Alex. "I don't know what to talk about."

"Anything," she said. He turned away as the nurse began to help her out of her tattered pajama top. "Tell me about the first time you met Lewis… or when you decided to become a cop. Tell me about Ivy. Anything."

"Ivy. Yeah, okay," said Bobby, looking determinedly away from his partner. "She… um… she doesn't talk to me much. I wish she would. I miss talking with her. She… she seems depressed. We go to see Richard and she seems really happy to see him, but she's even quieter than usual when we get back. She's so smart and so sensitive. She feels things more deeply than most kids her age."

"She certainly does," Alex agreed as the nurse photographed her bruised chest and moved onto her arms. "Adolescence is hard for anyone. It must be hell for a sensitive kid like Ivy."

"I'm so afraid I'm going to screw up," said Bobby. "That I won't say the right thing when she needs to hear it."

"You'll do all right," said Alex, holding her head up straight while the nurse photographed her bruised face. The nurse set aside the camera and returned with a damp cloth. She began to clean the blood from Alex's body with a slow gentleness the showed a bedside manner worthy of Florence Nightingale.

"This laceration is still bleeding," said the nurse, dabbing at Alex's busted lip. She handed her a gauze dressing. "Hold that over it. If it doesn't stop soon you might need stitches." Alex nodded.

"I don't think she has made any friends at school," said Bobby. "I don't think she trusts anyone to not leave her since Shyné was murdered."

"Poor kid," said Alex. The nurse finished cleaning Alex up and began to photograph her again. "I should take her out for a girls day with Elizabeth sometime soon. And I think Cassie and Sarah are coming up for a weekend again later this month."

"That's good," said Bobby. "I know Ivy will be glad to see them." The conversation was so normal. He wished he could lose himself in it and forget the events of the night.

"Do you feel light headed or disoriented?" asked the nurse. "That's a nasty bump on your forehead."

"My head hurts a little," said Alex. "But I don't feel disoriented."

The nurse finished taking pictures of Alex's bruises and handed her a hospital gown. Alex shrugged it on. "You can turn around now, Bobby," she said. He did and came back to her side to hold her hand. She turned to the nurse. "Will you ask Detective Munch to come back?" The nurse nodded and slipped away to find Munch.

In the hall a man in an expensive looking business suit intercepted her. Bobby and Alex could see them through the doorway but they couldn't make out what was said. The nurse continued on her way to get Detective Munch and the man came into the hospital exam room.

"Lieutenant Parker Nelson, IAB," he said, holding up a badge. "Detective Eames, I need to ask you some questions."

Bobby turned to face the man. "Now is not the time," he said coolly. "You shouldn't be here."

"You must be Detective Goren," he said.

"I am."

"Chief said you were close. But, I'll warn you not to interfere with my investigation. When a cop shoots a civilian, they call me," said Nelson. "I have a job to do."

Alex hitched her jaw to the side and sighed. "Ask away," she said.

"Did you know the man whom you shot tonight?" Alex nodded. "How did you know the decedent, Mark Jackson?" asked Lt. Nelson.

"He was my boyfriend," said Alex, looking down at her lap. "Until yesterday morning. He assaulted me. I arrested him and had a restraining order put in place. I didn't see him again until he showed up at my house last night."

"Did you allow him into your home?" asked Nelson.

"No," said Alex. "He forced his way inside. He broke my security chain."

"Was Mark Jackson armed?"

Munch returned. "Detective John Munch, Manhattan SVU," he said. "IAB, I presume." When Nelson nodded, Munch continued. "This was a self defense shooting. My investigation takes priority. You don't belong here."

"With all due respect, Detective," said Nelson. "I have to be here. This is the third death on Detective Eames' hands." At this Bobby rose to his full height, shooting Lt. Nelson a menacing look. "It has to be fully investigated, and homicide always takes priority."

"Homicide?" said Bobby. He let go of Alex's hand and stepped toward the smaller man in the expensive suit. "My partner was attacked. You get the hell out of here."

"As I said before, your interference in this investigation will not be tolerated, Detective Goren," said Nelson. "You've made a career of pissing people off. Not all of your superiors are charmed by your high solve rate. A loose cannon is a loose cannon."

Bobby was seething, clenching and unclenching his fists, his arms rod straight at his sides. Alex hopped down from the exam table and put her hand on her partner's arm. "Let it go, Bobby," she said.

"Ms. Eames," said a young female doctor coming into the room. "I'm here to perform your pelvic exam and finish your SAE kit." She looked from one police officer to another. "Is this man bothering you?" she asked at last about Lt. Nelson.

"He… he's trying to do his job," Alex said after a moment. "I shot and killed the man who raped me. He has to investigate the death."

"I think that can wait," said the doctor. "This woman has been through a traumatic experience, and I wouldn't be a good doctor if I let you stay here and antagonize her. You'll have to wait outside, sir."

Lt. Nelson glowered at the young doctor. He looked as though he might challenge what he thought to be her impertinence, but instead, he turned toward the door. "Lt. Nelson," Alex called after him.

He glanced back, annoyed. "Mark Jackson has an eight year old daughter," said Alex. "Someone should check on her." He nodded stiffly and made his exit.

Author's note: Man this is tough stuff. The next chapter is proving just as tough. Don't forget to review. You know it always makes my day.

For the record, I know Bobby's brother's name is Frank, but it was established as Richard for this story before his name was established in the show and I am leaving it as is.