A/N: Elmo belongs to Sesame Street Workshop and Barbie is Mattel's. Maggie is mine :-). I am looking for suggestions, guys. What Maggie/Bobby scenes does anyone want to see? I am wide open to ideas from anyone, so let's have 'em! Of course, that goes for scenes with Mike and Alex, too. Just remember that Bobby and Alex don't finally get together until Maggie is almost 3.

Logan let himself into Goren's apartment, shaking the rain out of his hair. He was met by a happy squeal and he smiled at the baby crawling across the carpet to greet him. "Hey, there's my best girl!" He lifted her from the floor. "Did you get bigger since I saw you last week?"

"Bee durl!" she announced, giggling as she hugged him. Leaning back, she reached out to pat his hair. "Wet!"

He laughed. "Big girl...yes, I'm wet."

"Wain."

"Yes, it's still raining."

He set her down as Goren came out of the kitchen. Grabbing Logan's pant leg, she turned around to face him. "Ba!"

She took a few unsteady steps in his direction. Dropping to one knee, he watched her little legs scramble to keep up with the rest of her as she hurtled herself across the living room into his arms. He laughed. "Look at you!"

"When'd she start walking?" Logan asked.

"Uhm, I'm not sure...I'll have to ask Eames."

"She didn't say anything about it?"

"I, uh, I didn't see her. I picked the baby up at John's. I suppose she's been walking long enough that it's old news and he assumed Eames said something."

"Now there'll really be no rest for the weary."

"I don't mind chasing after her," Goren replied.

"Of course you don't."

Goren gave him an odd look, then bounced the baby in his arms. "Come on. Dinner's ready."

"Do I have to ask what we're having?"

Maggie turned in Goren's arms to look at him. "Budetti!"

"Of course. That would have been my first guess."

Goren smiled. "And your second?"

"Macaroni and cheese."

"There's kind of no point if I fix something Maggie doesn't like. You'll eat anything."

"True. What's for dessert—pudding, jello or ice cream?"

"Pudding."

"Please tell me we're not gonna watch Elmo again?"

"E'mo!" Maggie squeaked, clapping her hands.

"We are now."

"Great...When she goes to sleep, can we watch Commando or Lethal Weapon?"

"Not Barbie?"

"Not unless you want me to draw blood."

Goren laughed as he set Maggie in her high chair. Then he set a bowl of cut spaghetti in front of her with a spoon he knew she would only use to bang on her tray. Logan grinned. "Can I teach her about catapults?"

"Only if you want to deal with her mother again. She didn't appreciate the last trick you taught her."

"Oh, come on. What's wrong with mashed potato mustaches?"

"Nothing, until she tried to wash her hair with them."

Logan laughed as he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. "That's my little explorer. Always gotta try new things. She learned that from you."

"At least that's not something that irritates her mother."

"Yet. Give it time. When she's two and starts taking the toaster apart to see what makes it work, you might start singing a different tune."

Goren looked at him. "I'll have to start unplugging everything."

"That'll be fun. I'd draw the line when she starts heading for the TV with a screwdriver."

"Not if I lock up the tools."

"You've been doing that for six months."

"Problem solved."

They sat down at the table to eat, laughing at the spaghetti covered little girl when she inverted her bowl on top of her head and announced, "Hat!"

"She did that with her oatmeal the other morning."

"Is that why Alex was late?"

"Yes. And you owe me. I didn't tell her that was all you, too."

"Thanks. What are you doing for Maggie's birthday?"

"Eames invited me to her dad's for the day, and she said I can take her home with me so Denise and I can do something with her on Sunday. I thought we'd take her to the zoo. Want to come along?"

"I'll think about it. I don't want to cramp your style."

Goren snorted. "That'll be the day. Denise is used to you."

"And she still likes me. What's up with that?"

"Maggie still likes you."

"Maggie doesn't know any better." Logan shook his head. "Denise should. Then again look who she chooses to hang out with." He stirred Parmesan cheese into his spaghetti. "I'll go with you, since your date is so accommodating."

"She likes little kids."

"Ha. You're funny."

"Ba!" Goren looked toward the baby. "Mi'k, pees."

Logan laughed. "She'll be using complete sentences soon."

"Don't rush her. It's half a step from complete sentences to kindergarten."

"Oh, yeah...and then she'll be dating."

"Not if I can help it."

Logan gave him a sympathetic smile. "You can't keep her from growing up, man."

Setting a sippy cup on the tray in front of her, Goren sighed. "Does it have to happen so fast?"

"You can't stop time."

Gently pulling short strands of spaghetti from a soft curl, Goren didn't answer. "Ba," she said happily.

Leaning closer, he gave her a kiss as he sat back down and finished his dinner.

After spending the entire day Sunday chasing Maggie around the Bronx Zoo, Logan went home, making no promises about showing up for work on time the next morning. Denise went home as well, not wanting to interfere too much with the time Goren had to spend with Maggie, in spite of his protests. She promised to have dinner with him Tuesday night.

He set Maggie on the floor and she toddled across the room to her toybox. Sitting on the floor near the coffee table, he accepted the assortment of blocks she brought to him, one at a time. Then she sat on the floor and patted the space beside her. "'Mon, Ba."

He slid closer to her and they played with the blocks until she crawled into his lap and yawned. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her for a little while. "All right, missy. Let's put your pajamas on and we'll read a story."

She helped him put the blocks away and then led the way down the hall to the bedroom. After washing her face and hands, he put a clean diaper and pajamas on her. She pointed to the picture on her top. "Draff!"

"That's a giraffe. Very good." He picked her up and set her on the floor. "Go pick out a book."

"'Kay."

He watched her scurry down the hallway and smiled. According to Logan, the little girl had two speeds: fast and faster. The phone rang as he entered the living room and he walked over to the counter and grabbed it. "Hello."

How was your day?

He smiled. "It was fine, Eames. How was yours?"

Nothing special. We went to Nate's for a barbecue, that's all. He's about the only one of Ricky's friends I don't mind. I just called to say good night.

"Hold on." He called to Maggie. "Come over and tell Mommy good night, Maggie."

She dropped her book and hurried over to him. He knelt on one knee and sat her on his leg as he held the phone for her. "Mama!" Then she launched into a happy accounting of her day, including a list of just about every animal they'd seen. When she was done she kissed the phone. "Night, Mama!"

He set her down and returned the receiver to his ear. "Does that answer your question about how our day was?"

I take it you took her to the zoo.

"Unless they have giraffes in the harbor, that's a pretty safe bet."

She laughed. You're so good to her.

His smile faded a little. "I love her. It's not hard to figure out. I'll see you tomorrow, Eames."

Bobby?

"Yes?"

Thank you...for her and for me.

He was quiet for a moment. "Good night, Eames."

Good night, Bobby.

He rose and set the phone in its cradle. He stood there, looking at it, until Maggie tugged on his pants leg. "Ba?"

She held up her chosen book when he looked down at her. Smiling again, he picked her up and settled on the couch with her. She snuggled against him and listened as he read. She was asleep by the time he finished the book.

He held her for a little while as he watched television, then he settled her in her crib and returned to the living room. It was just after midnight when he turned in for another restless night of poor sleep, plagued by dreams of what his life could have been and haunted by images of what it was.

The next morning Eames arrived about a half hour late. She could tell by the look on Goren's face that he was concerned. She offered an apologetic smile. "I overslept. Sorry."

He just nodded and returned his attention to the file in front of him, unwilling to question her further. The less he knew about her home life, the better. When she called his name, he looked up. "Where's Logan this morning?"

"Running late. Maggie ran him ragged yesterday."

She smiled. "How was she this morning?"

"Fine. She chatted all the way to your dad's."

"That's my girl."

"Yes, she is." He played with his pen for a moment. "I was meaning to ask you...when did she start walking?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?"

"No."

"Tuesday when I got home from work, she pulled herself up and walked right to me. Then she was off and running, and she never looked back."

"Tuesday? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Why? Did she walk for you before that?"

He nodded. "I just thought you didn't say anything because you thought your dad did. I kept forgetting to ask."

"When did she walk for you?"

"Last Saturday."

Her face became thoughtful before she gave him a warm smile. "Her first smile, her first steps...you're pretty special, you know."

"To Maggie? Yes, I know."

She watched him turn his attention back to his work. Not just to Maggie, she said to herself. Pulling out a stack of forms, she started in on her share of the day's paperwork.

That afternoon, Eames took her lunch with Barek while Goren and Logan headed out of the building to visit the hot dog vendor down the street. On their way back, they were joking with each other, until Logan walked into a man who stepped into his way and stopped. "Hey, man, watch where you're going," he said.

The man shoved him. "Watch yourself, Logan."

Goren grabbed Logan around the chest before he could react to the taunt. "No," he hissed into his ear.

Reluctantly, Logan settled and Goren released him, turning to the three uniformed officers who faced them. "Aren't you a little out of you patrol zone, Waters?" he asked evenly.

"We're on lunch, and I stopped by to say hello to my wife. What a surprise that she wasn't in the office."

"It's lunchtime," Goren shot back.

"So where'd she go?"

"I don't know. She didn't tell me."

Waters' eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."

Goren returned his glare. "I don't give a damn."

As the men faced off, a new voice came from behind Goren and Logan. "Is there a problem here, gentlemen?"

Logan turned to face his captain. "No, captain. No problem."

"Goren?"

"I don't have a problem, sir."

Deakins looked at the three officers standing opposite his men. "Well, gentlemen?"

Finally, Waters shook his head. "No, captain. There's not a problem."

He motioned to the two men with him and they walked off. Quietly, Deakins said, "I'll see you both in my office as soon as you get upstairs."

They watched Deakins walk away and Logan let out a sigh. "Okay, that's not quite fair. We're in trouble and we didn't even do anything."

"Aren't you used to that by now?" Goren asked bitterly as he continued toward the headquarters building.

Logan huffed. "Sure, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Eames was back from lunch for forty-five minutes when her partner and Logan finally came out of the captain's office. "Hey. What's the problem?"

Goren shook his head. "No problem. We had a personal matter to discuss with Deakins, that's all."

She waited for a further explanation, but when none was forthcoming, she pressed the issue. "What kind of personal matter?"

"Nothing concerning you, so don't worry about it."

He turned to his computer and got busy. She hated being shut out of his life, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. Reluctantly, she turned to her work and she wondered if he would ever let her in. Unless it had to do directly with work, or her daughter, the answer was no, and she mourned the loss of something she never had to start with.