Alright, alright, I know that was an evil cliffie, so here's the update! This chapter is definitely M in one spot, so viewer discretion is advised. LOL. Enjoy, and please remember to review!
Disclaimer: Not ours.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Alex's cell phone began to ring, and she glanced down at her purse. "Mike, grab that for me."
He pulled out the phone and flipped it open. "Yeah."
Where's Alex?
"Right here. Where the hell are you?"
Leaving Rikers. Tell her to be careful...she...she's in danger, Mike.
"What the hell are you babbling about?"
Michelle's son...he's in New York and he's out for revenge against me...through her.
"Aw, shit..."
Alex turned her head a little. "Is that Bobby? What's going on?"
"Michelle's kid is after him...by going after you, honey."
She gripped the steering wheel tightly, then said in a soft but furious voice, "Tell him to stay put. We're almost there."
"He's already left the prison."
"Damn it!"
Mike brought the phone to his ear. "You still on the island, pal?"
Uh, no. I'm in Queens.
Mike looked at Alex. "He's in Queens."
She glared at the road ahead. "Of course. We're on our way there, and he's long gone."
"So what now?"
She thought for a moment, carefully turning into a restaurant parking lot and making a U-turn. "Tell him to meet us at your place, Mike," she said quietly. "It's closer."
He spoke into the phone. "Head to my place, Bobby. We'll meet you there...and brace yourself. Your little firecracker is pissed as hell."
Great. I'll see you in a few.
Mike looked at Alex. "He's worried."
"I know."
"You still pissed?"
She sighed. "No. I'm just worried about him."
"Why?"
"Because. I always do."
He gave that some thought. "I guess he needs someone to worry about him."
She smiled and reached out, squeezing his shoulder briefly. "Everyone does."
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Bobby pulled up in front of Mike's building and found them waiting for him. Bracing himself for the tongue lashing he knew Alex had prepared for him, he got out of the car, buried his hands in his pockets and approached them, looking directly at neither of them.
Alex looked at her partner, then wordlessly walked across the ground and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Bobby, what were you thinking?"
"I...wasn't," he admitted. "I was furious...and I planned to just walk it off. The next think I knew, I was at Rikers, asking to see her."
She swallowed thickly. "Do you know how bad you scared me? And Mike?"
"I didn't...I..." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head and stepped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I can't believe how stupid you can be sometimes, for a man who's such a genius." She rested her forehead against his chest and breathed deeply.
He folded his arms around her and rested his cheek against her head. "We-we need to talk."
She nodded. "Let's go inside first."
He nodded, shifting his eyes toward Mike. "I am sorry."
Mike shrugged. "I understand how you are. Just...think next time."
Alex nodded her agreement, then slid her hand into Bobby's and headed into the apartment building.
They walked up to the apartment and Mike pulled out his keys. When he pushed the key into the lock, the door opened on its own. He shifted his eyes over to meet Bobby's and both men pulled out their guns. Knowing better than to ask Alex to stay in the hall, Bobby had to trust her to have the sense to remain behind him, shielded from any danger by his body. He followed Mike through the door.
Alex felt Bobby tense, and she kept her hand on his back and remained behind him, knowing that he would be more careful and more alert if he knew she were behind him.
Logan headed to the bedroom and the bathroom while Bobby and Alex headed for the kitchen. They heard him call the all clear and responded in kind. The apartment was empty. Bobby holstered his weapon, then noticed the missing pictures from the refrigerator. Dropping to one knee, he picked up the torn halves of the picture Michelle had destroyed in her rage. He looked up at Alex.
She stared at the halves of the torn picture, and she shook her head and pressed her hand to her mouth. "God..."
Mike came around the corner. "There's a diaper bag and some diapers missing, and..."
Alex stepped away from the two men and walked out of the kitchen, her hands shaking and tears threatening to fall at any second.
Mike stared at the torn picture in Bobby's hand and was suddenly overwhelmed by an avalanche of emotion that he had been trying hard to keep submerged. Fear, worry, anger, anxiety...everything came together in his chest and manifested itself as rage...and the only target available to him was the man who stood in front of him holding the ruined picture.
Mike lost control and with a wounded shout he shoved Bobby hard. Not expecting the attack, Bobby stumbled backwards, hitting the far counter hard. Mike only saw red and he advanced on him, growling his rage. He swung hard, connecting a left hook with Bobby's jaw, followed immediately with a right to his left eyes and cheekbone. Bobby hit the ground hard, stunned, but he recovered enough by the time Mike grabbed his jacket to haul him to his feet to react. Grabbing Mike's arm, he spun him and pinned him to the wall, bracing his body against him to keep him in place. Mike swore at him and struggled, but Bobby had him firmly pinned. "Calm the hell down!" he growled, his voice low and threatening.
Bobby held him in place until Mike quit struggling and went limp. Muttering under his breath, Bobby dragged him to the couch, dropping him down beside Alex, and he went down the hall to the bathroom, still reeling from the fight. On one hand he understood, but on the other he was angry about being the target of Mike's rage. He was unaware of doing anything that deserved that rage. Standing at the sink, he dropped his chin to his chest and watched the blood drip from the cut below his eye into the sink. He breathed deep and slow, aware of another band of pain across his back where he'd hit the counter. That was gonna leave a bruise.
Softly, he whispered the only word that would come to him. "Shit."
In the living room, Mike stirred. He groaned and opened his eyes, aware only of a deep fatigue that penetrated into his bones. "Holy hell...what happened?"
Alex turned and touched his cheek, frowning deeply. "You attacked my partner, that's what."
"Attacked...? What? No..."
"Yes, you did." She struggled to her feet and walked into the kitchen, dampening a cloth that she found on the counter with warm water. Wringing it, she walked back into the living room and sat down beside Mike again. "Idiot," she growled, dabbing at a cut on his temple.
"Is he okay?"
"He's in your bathroom, I think."
"That's not what I asked. Is he okay?"
"I don't know. He took off before I could see him."
He studied her carefully. "So why are you sitting here with me?"
She thought for a moment. "Because you lost consciousness. And it's not exactly easy getting up and down every time you two decide to act like a couple of asses."
"Okay, fine. I'll go check on him." He couldn't explain his irritability, and he was too tired to try to control it at the moment. He got up from the couch and headed down the hall. Stopping in the bathroom doorway, he leaned against the door jam and looked at Bobby, who had not moved. "You okay, man?"
Bobby still didn't move. "What the hell was that about?"
"I...have no idea. I'm so sorry. I guess I just...snapped."
"And I was in the way."
"I suppose. Did I hurt you?"
"No. Just...leave me alone for a bit, okay?"
"Yeah, sure. I am sorry."
"So am I."
"What did you do?"
Bobby shook his head. "I have no clue."
Mike gently clapped his shoulder and walked away from the doorway, back to the living room, where he sat in the easy chair on the opposite side of the room from the couch. He rubbed his forehead and softly groaned.
Alex watched him for a moment, then pushed herself to her feet again with a tired sigh. Walking into the bathroom, she sat down on the edge of the tub and looked at her partner.
He remained at the sink, hanging his head as he continued to watch the blood drip into the basin. He was too exhausted to move right then.
"Bobby?" She stood up and rested her hands on his back. "Maybe we should go home."
He shook his head. "N-no. I'm not leaving him here alone."
She gently cupped his cheek in her hand and studied the bruises and cuts he had sustained. "Then let me get you cleaned up," she murmured, reaching past him to turn the sink on.
Softly, he whispered, "I, uh, I...didn't deserve that."
Tears stung at her eyes, and she pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I know you didn't, baby."
"He just...snapped...and he reacted...with rage. I'm glad you were out of the way."
She picked up a washcloth that was hanging off of the basin, then held it under the water. Silently, she wrung it and gently wiped the blood away from the corner of his mouth.
"I'm tired, Alex."
She nodded understandingly and continued wiping the blood away. "Let me go talk to Mike. I think we all need some sleep."
He took the cloth from her hands and looked into the mirror. Oh, he was going to look nice in the morning. Gently, he wiped the blood from his face below the laceration under his eye. "Ask him if he has a first aid kit anywhere around here."
"Okay." She ran a gentle hand through his hair, then walked out of the bathroom and into the living room.
Mike looked up. "I'm a fucking menace," he grumbled.
She sighed quietly. "You're an idiot, and you're a jerk. Bobby's tired, and I think we could all do with some sleep."
"How bad did I hurt him?"
"He has a few cuts and bruises, but he'll live." She watched him for a moment, then sat down beside him. "Mike, what the hell were you thinking?"
"Thinking? If I was thinking that would never have happened. Hell, Alex...I don't even remember hitting him. I saw that torn picture and everything after that just went blank."
"Mike... you've got to do something about that. Talk to someone, yell, do something. That might not have been Bobby. Think about that."
"Is he trying to figure out what he did to deserve it?"
"You know he is." She leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes. "I tried to talk him into going home, but he doesn't want to leave you here alone."
Mike waved a hand. "Take him into the bedroom. You guys can sleep in there. The sheets are clean. I'll just crash here on the couch."
"Okay." She stood up again and stepped in the direction of the bathroom. But she turned around and said quietly, "Call Angie. Talk to your daughter, okay, Mike?"
"Tell him he didn't do anything. And I really am sorry."
She nodded and touched his arm, then remembered what Bobby had said. "Do you have a first aid kit?"
"A what? Oh, yeah...under the sink in the bathroom."
"Okay." She walked back into the bathroom and leaned against the door. "There's a kit under the sink, and Mike said we can take the bed. He's sleeping on the couch."
"I'd argue the point if I wasn't so damn tired." Leaning down to retrieve the first aid kit, he stumbled half a step forward and smacked his forehead against the sink. He pulled back and leaned against the wall, swearing softly.
She grabbed his arm and carefully steadied him. "Hey, take it easy," she murmured, grabbing the kit. "You're about to collapse. Come on." She gently tugged on his arm and guided him into the bedroom.
He offered no resistance. Easing himself on the side of the bed, he sighed softly. "Uh, Alex...I have to talk to you."
She sat down beside him and opened the kit. "About what?" she asked, finding a bottle of peroxide and several pieces of gauze.
"About something Michelle said that won't leave me alone."
She frowned and mentally cursed as she gently cleaned the cuts on his face. "What did she say?"
"Her...her son, C.J., is in New York. He...was never happy about me being around his mother, even before he knew I was a cop. He, um, he has it in for me...but he's going to strike at me...through you. Sh-she, um, she knows...that you're carrying my baby."
She paused in her ministrations, looking down at her swollen belly before opening a box of band-aids. "What do you want to do?"
"You don't want me to answer that, baby."
She finished covering the cuts and wounds, then closed the first aid kit and set it down before gently pushing him back against the pillows. When he was situated, she stretched out beside him and rested her head on his chest. "I'm not going to let them touch me, or our child, Bobby."
He studied her from under heavy lids. "He doesn't have to get close to hurt you," he murmured, quickly losing ground to his exhaustion.
She raised her head and gently kissed his forehead. "I'll be careful. And with you and Mike for bodyguards..." She smirked and toyed with an errant curl.
"I, um..." Her gentle caress derailed his thoughts and his eyes slid mostly closed. He sighed softly. "I love you," he whispered softly.
She smiled and brushed her fingers lightly across his cheek. "I love you, too," she whispered reassuringly, pressing herself further into his side.
"You...sure about that?" he asked, half-kidding.
She covered his lips with hers, running one hand over his chest as she kissed him deeply. When she pulled away, her eyes met his, and she whispered, "Does that answer your question?"
"Thank you," he replied, running his fingers through her hair. "Promise...promise me, you'll be diligent."
She laid her head by his and cupped his cheek in her palm. "Bobby, what did I tell you? I'm not going to let anyone hurt our child. I'll be careful, even more than I normally am. I promise you that."
His fingers skimmed over her skin, his exploring touch light and affectionate. "Love you so much," he murmured softly, planting soft kisses along her jaw.
She smiled and gently slid her hand under his shirt. "I love you, too. Even when you make me crazy."
"I don't mean to..."
She silenced him with another kiss. "I wouldn't have you any other way."
He caught her lips again, tracing his tongue along them lightly, begging entry. He softly groaned as his body's response to her drew him further from sleep.
She rolled onto her back, pulling him along as she drew him in for another shattering kiss.
He groaned deeply and his hands roamed over her body, stirring her to passion.
She groaned softly and forced her eyes open. "Are you sure?" Her small hand wandered lightly over the purplish bruise on his chest. "Doesn't it hurt?"
"Does what hurt?" he replied, baffled.
She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Baby, your chest. It's one big bruise." Carefully she pushed his shirt up, revealing what she had just seen.
His eyes were focused on her face and his mind was focused on the path of his fingers along her skin. "Just...make me forget..." he softly pleaded.
She knew that she couldn't deny him, no matter how she tried. So she gently framed his face with her hands and pulled him down again, pressing her lips against his forehead, then his lips.
Groaning again, he responded to her, stroking his thumb across her nipple as he eased her clothes off her body. His mouth kissed and nipped, his tongue soothed and traced the curve of her neck and her collarbone. His legs braced against her hips and his hand strayed down, over the swelling where his baby lived inside her. And he lost himself in the wonder that was her.
She kissed him softly, but it grew more ardent and desperate when he slowly entered her. Her hands wandered over his strong back, and she smiled when his big hand covered where their child rested. "Just a few... more months," she managed to whisper between each kiss that threatened to devour her.
Fully overwhelmed, he managed a soft moan in reply. His kisses became increasingly hungry as his body stroked against hers, slowly at first, increasing with his need to claim her and bring her to climax.
Her body arched against his, and she tightened her arms around him, pulling him as close to her as she could. He moved faster, and she lightly bit his neck, grinning when he shuddered in response.
"Oh, baby," he moaned against her skin as he stepped up the pace of his thrusts. Breathing hard, he buried his face in her neck as her entire body tightened around him, driving him to his own climax.
She closed her eyes and tightened her legs around his waist as she found her own release. "God, Bobby..." She whimpered softly and kissed his head where it rested in the crook of her neck.
As he came back down, his fatigue hit him hard. He slid to the bed beside her, burying his face in her hair as he murmured, "Love you, baby."
She turned into him and buried herself in his arms, sighing contently. "Love you too, Bobby."
His hand caressed her abdomen over the baby as he relaxed and drifted off, remaining on his stomach to keep pressure off the new injury across his back, courtesy of Mike's rage.
She stayed awake for a little while longer, just watching him as he slept peacefully. Her fingers barely traced the bruise on his back, and a frown marred her face. But his even breathing and gentle hand still resting on her abdomen quenched the anger, and she rested her head against his and closed her eyes.
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Angie sighed as she rocked the crying little girl in her arms. "I know, sweetheart," she cooed, kissing the baby's head. "I know it hurts."
Kiska just shoved her fist into her mouth and continued to cry, her sobs intermittently pierced by a stuttered, "D-da!"
Emily walked into the room and sat down on the bed beside her mother. "How is she, Mom?" she asked, touching the little girl's back.
Angie smiled wearily. "She's cutting her first tooth, and the poor thing is miserable."
"Aw, poor baby," Emily murmured, kissing Kiska's head. Then she raised her head and looked at her mother. "Maybe she wants her dad," she suggested. "She seems like she's a daddy's girl."
Angie laughed. "You were the same way as a baby, Em. If your daddy went out of your sight, you would cry until he came back." They both laughed quietly at that.
"Maybe you should call him. She might feel better if he was here," Emily said softly, and Angie thought for a moment before nodding.
"You're probably right, honey. Could you get the phone for me?"
Emily stood up and walked out of the room, returning a few minutes later with the phone. Shifting the crying baby carefully to her other arm, she dialed Mike's number and held the phone up to her ear.
Mike answered the phone without even trying to hide the misery in his voice. Yeah?
"Mike? It's Angie."
What? Oh...hi, Angie. Everything okay over there?
She smiled at his concern. "It is. But your little girl is teething, and I think it would do wonders for her to see you."
He sighed softly. I, um...I can't drive right now. I had a really bad night. If you want to bring her over...Alex and Bobby are still here. She'll be fine.
"Okay, dear." The line went silent for a moment. "This child has been missing you. All we've heard from her is 'Da.'" She laughed softly as Emily took the baby from her arm.
Well, she's young yet, Angie. She'll learn.
A frown appeared on her face. "Mike, I don't think anything you do could ever change the way this child loves you."
Maybe you should ask her Uncle Bobby about that.
She sighed. "I know that tone. You're not going to listen to anything right now. We'll be over there in a little while, then Jimmy wants to drop by the hospital and see if he can't find out anything about Carolyn."
Yeah, whatever you want to do. See you later.
She hung up the phone, and Emily looked at her curiously as she shrugged. "He's going through a rough patch right now, honey," she explained, taking the fussy baby from her eldest daughter.
Emily nodded and picked up Kiska's diaper bag, and she retrieved a few bottles from the refrigerator before the three of them walked out to the car.
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"He's upset right now, Em. Try to bear with him," Angie said as Emily knocked on the door of Mike's apartment.
Mike drained the beer from the bottle and went to the door, pulling it open. "Hey, ladies. C'mon in."
Angie stepped into the apartment first, gently bouncing the fussy child in her arms. But as soon as she saw Mike, she reached out to him and cried, "Da!"
He took his daughter from Angie and forced a smile. "What's the matter, Kitkat?"
The baby rested her head on his shoulder and continued to cry softly.
"She's been like this since the two of you left. The poor thing," Angie murmured, gently resting her hand against the baby's back.
He gently bounced her and patted her back. "She doesn't know any better. Believe me, if she'd been here, she'd have gotten her first introduction to scary."
Angie shook her head and placed the diaper bag on the couch. "Why do you say that, Mike?"
"Because it's true."
She arched an eyebrow and watching him gently soothe the baby. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe."
"I lost my damn mind and hit a guy who didn't do a damn thing wrong...several times in fact."
She reached out and gently clasped his shoulder. "Why don't you talk to me about it?" she gently urged, squeezing his shoulder.
"I...lost it, Angie. That psycho was here, and she stole the pictures of the baby from the fridge. Then she tore a picture of the baby and me in half. I came in and found Bobby holding the two halves of the picture. Alex left the room and I just...snapped. I...I hurt him...and he didn't retaliate. What the hell is wrong with me?"
She sat there in silence for a minute, mulling over everything he had just told her. "I think..." she began slowly. "I think that the stress, anger and exhaustion finally caught up with you. And you lashed out at the only safe target."
"He's gotta be sick and tired of being a damn target."
"Maybe. I'm not saying that it was a good or smart thing. But I think that you might have finally worked off some of that bad energy, which I think is a good thing. Now you just need to make it up to him."
He snorted. "I have no idea how to even start doing that. I friggin' drew blood, Angie."
She moved her hand to his leg. "I'll tell something that will make you feel better."
"Dammit...I don't want to feel better. He's my friend, but he won't be for long if I keep this up."
"You should hear this. When I first met you, you reminded me so much of my husband. And you still do. Today just serves to cement that for me." She leaned back against the arm of the couch.
"Jimmy's an asshole, too?"
She laughed. "Not exactly, dear. See, when Jimmy and I first got married, he had this best friend, named Alan. Those two were the worst. Alan would take Jimmy out and get him so drunk, he couldn't see straight. They were inseparable. Well... one day, Jimmy was very upset, so upset that I couldn't even reach him. Alan tried, and got a broken arm, a black eye, and a busted lip for his efforts."
"Did that kill the friendship?"
She laughed softly. "Actually, they were closer than ever, and they stayed like that until Alan passed away a few years ago."
Mike sighed. "He didn't hit me back, Angie. I'd have decked him."
"Probably. But the thing is that he didn't. I've known you two ever since each of you came to Major Case. And I firmly believe that you'll find a way to fix things with him."
Mike gave out a bitter laugh. "He's wondering what he did to deserve that rage...and I really don't know how to tell him it had nothing to do with him. The bruises and the blood tell a different story."
"Just be honest with him, dear. You lost control and screwed up. You admit that and apologize."
"Bobby sure understands screwing up. Maybe a couple of six packs or a bottle of booze can help smooth things over. If nothing else, it'll take the edge off."
"Maybe." She smiled gently at him. "You're all going to be fine."
"Did I tell you he went off half-cocked to Rikers this evening after we found out what happened to Carolyn?"
She shook her head. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Yeah...Alex was ready to kill him."
"I'm sure she was." She chuckled softly. "There were plenty of times I tried to kill Jimmy when I was pregnant."
"She has her work cut out for her, that's for sure."
"Like every woman before her."
Another laugh. "Are you even trying to call Bobby Goren typical, Angie?"
"He's a man. No man comes without some baggage and challenge."
"He and I have more than our share of baggage and challenges."
She chuckled. "But that just makes the reward that much sweeter."
"You think so?"
"Dear, I know so."
"I feel bad for Alex and Carolyn half the time."
She patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. They know what they've gotten themselves into, and there's a reason why they have stuck around for so long."
"And what's that? A tendency toward sadism?"
She shook her head. "No. A love that changes them, like they've never been changed before. And though it might scare them at first, they know it's a wonderful thing. Take it from a wise old woman, Mike." She nodded toward the baby. "She had your child, and not even the worst parts of you you believe no one could stand can scare her away."
"Forgive my skepticism, but I have a lifetime of experience with myself, Angie."
"If I were wrong about that, I never would have married Jimmy. And I never would have had my beautiful little girls."
He shrugged. "I suppose I am just not in the mood for reassurance. When I went into the bedroom to get the playpen, I got a good look at what I did. I'm ashamed of myself, Angie."
"Of course you are." She leaned closer. "That just means you're a decent person, and you regret hurting one of your closest friends."
He looked at her and softly sighed. "You could put a positive spin on anything, couldn't you?"
She tilted her head to the side. "Not always."
He sighed. "Thanks for taking care of the baby. I hope we didn't impose too much on you and the girls."
She glared at him. "You didn't impose at all. The girls loved having her, and Lucy got to pretend she wasn't the youngest for a while."
He nodded and gently laid the sleeping baby in the playpen. He wandered into the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the refrigerator. "Don't let me keep you. Thank you for taking care of her for me."
She stood up and peered down the hall. "We'll go in a few minutes. First, tell me how Alex is."
"Alex? She's fine. Why?"
She raised an eyebrow. "She's five months pregnant, Mike. I remember how it was."
"She was really pissed earlier, first at him and then at me, but I think she got over it. She chased him into the bedroom after...well, afterwards. But he takes good care of her...watches her like a hawk."
"That's good," she said, smiling warmly. "She needs a little pampering. When I was pregnant with all of the girls, I was either crying or threatening to hand Jimmy a body part."
Mike laughed. "That's Alex every day. She doesn't need pregnancy for an excuse to hand him a body part."
She joined in his laughter. "And Carolyn? You think she'll do that to you? Or is that already an everyday thing?"
"She's always done that."
"Good. Someone should keep you in line. That's what Jimmy always said about you at work."
"Home is no different, believe me."
"I do."
"Do you want to see Alex?"
"Don't wake her if she's sleeping. She needs all the rest she can get."
"Want me to get Bobby? He's a sight."
"I'm sure he is. But leave him alone if he's sleeping. He's probably getting less sleep than her."
"What else is new. I don't think he's slept through the night once since I've known him."
"And I'd bet that he gets even less, with her being pregnant. He's probably spending most of the night just spending time with the baby." She smiled fondly. "Jimmy had a bad habit of that."
"I don't know. I don't usually take the chance to walk in on them in the bedroom."
She rolled her eyes. "Somehow I doubt you'd be standing here if you had."
He grinned. "Oh, she gets pissed when I interrupt. He usually thinks it's funny."
"Wonderful," she said sarcastically.
"We're more alike in some ways than Alex likes."
"It's not more of an issue of liking. It's more scary," a voice announced, and Alex appeared from Mike's bedroom, stretching her arms over her head.
He looked at her, briefly smiling. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked.
"Yes. But this kid is driving me nuts." She walked into the kitchen and began rifling through the refrigerator. "Do you have any tacos, Mike?"
"Tacos? Uh, no...but there's a bar down the street that makes decent tacos. You want me to run down and get you a few?"
She shut the refrigerator and smiled appreciatively. "Do you mind?"
"Nah. Angie wanted to check up on you anyway. Uh, how's Bobby?"
"Sleeping. I don't think he's slept at all in a few days."
"You know what I mean, Alex."
"I know. He's hurt, Mike. And I don't just mean physically."
Mike frowned. "What are you talking about?"
She leaned against the counter. "He doesn't understand what he did, and you know how he is. He takes the blame for everything, whether it's his fault or not."
Mike sighed heavily. "Yeah, I figured. You know it wasn't his fault; he didn't do anything. Now tell me I have a snowball's chance in hell of convincing him."
"Well, I think your chances are a little better than that." She picked up a glass and filled it with ice and water.
"Uh, you mind keeping an eye on Kitkat for me? I'll run to get your tacos."
"You know I don't mind. And how much trouble can she be while she's sleeping?" She thought for a moment. "Oh wait. She's yours."
"Just wait, sweetheart. You're having Goren's kid."
She sighed heavily. "Don't think I don't know this. Only his kid would find a way to be bored before it's born."
Logan laughed. "Yeah, that fits. I'll be back in twenty." He looked at Angie. "Thank you, Angie."
Angie smiled at him. "You're very welcome, Mike." Then she turned around and placed her hand on Alex's growing belly.
"How are you feeling, honey?" she asked, and Alex smiled.
"I'm pregnant with Bobby's child. I don't think I could get any happier," she answered with a content sigh.
"That's wonderful, dear." Angie grasped Alex's shoulders and gave her a gentle push. "Go sit down. I'm going to tidy up this kitchen for Mike."
"Good luck. He'll come back and not know where anything is," she said as she walking into the living room and settled down on the couch. Angie laughed as she stood over the sink and turned the water on.
Bobby rolled over in the bed, seeking Alex. He swallowed a moment of panic when he found her gone. She's five months pregnant, he thought calming himself. An active baby and bladder pressure would wake her...maybe she was hungry...oh, shit...I didn't get her dinner...where the hell is my head? He got up, pulled on his pants and headed out of the bedroom. The last people he expected to see in the living room with Alex were Angie and Emily Deakins. He froze two steps into the room, uncertain and ready to duck back into the bedroom for his shirt.
Alex leaned back against the couch, and Emily sat down beside her, a curious look on the young woman's face. Alex smiled warmly at her and rubbed her belly. "The baby's kicking. Want to feel?"
A smile lit up Emily's face, and she laid a gentle hand over Alex's belly, where the baby was kicking wildly. "Wow," she murmured.
Alex heard movement in the hall, and she called, "Come on out, Bobby. Mike just went to get some dinner."
Still uncertain, he studied her. "I'm sorry. I...should have gotten you something to eat."
She waved a hand at him dismissively. "It's fine. I've only been up for a few minutes myself."
"I...uh, I'm going to get my shirt...I'll be right back."
"Go ahead. Your child is entertaining us."
He studied her a moment longer then turned and headed back down the hall, hoping his back didn't look as bad as it felt.
She caught sight of his back, and she had to consciously keep herself from reacting. Instead, she focused on the movement inside of her.
Emily smiled. "Do you know what it's going to be?" she asked shyly.
Shaking her head, Alex answered, "Bobby didn't want to know, so we're going to be surprised."
"An active little one," she said in awe a few moments later.
Alex nodded. "Especially when Bobby's around. He's the only one who can get this little tyke to settle down."
Bobby returned to the living room with his shirt on but not buttoned, unaware that the deep bruising on his chest was still visible when his shirt settled open. He eased himself onto the couch beside Alex, leaning over to kiss her cheek. His hand absently strayed to her abdomen near Emily's and he smiled at the Deakins' oldest daughter. "Hello, Emily."
She smiled back at Bobby. "Hi."
Alex leaned back against her partner, mindful of his chest. "Sleep well?" she asked.
"For a little while, yes." He gently stroked her abdomen where the baby tumbled actively. Leaning closer he said quietly, "Hey, Poppet, settle down. Give Mommy a break."
She snorted. "Baby, that's like telling you to settle down," she teased, running her fingers along his arm.
He kissed her temple and withdrew his hand to lightly run it over the bruise on his chest. "I tried," he replied.
"I know." She watched Emily stand up and join her mother in the kitchen, and when she did, she gently pulled Bobby's arm around her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing. I just want you close," she murmured, sighing contently.
"I...I know how that feels." When she pushed his shirt open and ran her cool hands over his bruises, he softly gasped.
She jumped a little and pulled her hands away, shaking her head.
"What?' he asked, concerned.
"It hurts you. She hurt you." She pushed herself to an upright position. "I just... I still can't believe all of this."
"No," he protested. "No...that...that felt good. Your hand...was cool. An-and my chest doesn't hurt quite as much as my head does." Gently, he drew her back against him and slipped her hand into his shirt, giving her a soft, reassuring kiss.
She slowly relaxed against him, letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "I love you," she murmured, gently caressing his skin.
He also found himself relaxing as she caressed his warm skin. "I love you, too," he answered. "Uh, did the little guy settle down?"
"Hardly." She suddenly caught the whiff of tacos, and she sat upright and grinned. "Tacos..."
The door opened and Mike strolled in. "Dinner..." He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Bobby sitting on the couch beside Alex. His eyes took in his bruised face and the eye that was swelled almost shut. Deep remorse filled his face.
Alex stood up and approached Mike. "Remember what we told you," she whispered, taking the bag from him and carrying it into the kitchen.
Setting the bag on the counter, Alex couldn't help but grin as she pulled the tacos out. But something seemed... missing, and she turned to the refrigerator and opened the door.
Angie and Emily watched in growing amusement as Alex pulled out a jar of jelly, another jar that contained pickles, and finally the mustard. She reached into a drawer and found a butter knife, then uncapped the jelly and dipped the knife in.
"Yum," she said to herself as she spread the jelly carefully in the taco shell.
Putting the cap back on the jelly jar, she uncapped the pickles and grabbed several pickle chips, dropping them over the jelly, then closed the pickle jar. Finally she picked up the bottle of mustard, spreading a generous layer over each taco before setting the bottle down again.
Angie laughed in amusement and put the condiments away as Alex bit into the first taco, sighing blissfully.
"Damn, this is a good taco," she sighed after swallowing the first bite. "Thanks, Mike."
Mike stared at her. "What the hell did you do to that taco?"
"Made it delicious," she stated before taking another big bite.
He looked at Bobby. "Does she do that to all her food?"
"Most of it."
"And you watch her eat...that...every day?"
"No. I usually don't watch her eat."
"I don't blame you. Uh, you want a taco before she...enhances the rest of them?"
"No, thanks. I'm not hungry."
Mike looked at the ceiling for a long minute. "Alex?"
"Hmm?"
"Um, do you mind if I borrow your boyfriend?"
She waved. "Go for it. But behave. Both of you."
"You mind keeping an eye on Kitkat?"
"Again, she's yours. I may have a bit of a problem," she teased as she finished the first taco and reached for the second.
"Thanks, sweetheart...I think. come on, pal...I don't think I can watch her destroy another taco."
"But they're good now!" she protested, biting down on the crunchy shell.
"I'll take your word for it." Bobby looked toward her as he got up from the couch, making certain she was all right with him leaving the apartment with Mike.
She nodded and waved at him a little.
He touched his fingers to his lips, blowing her a brief kiss. Then he followed Mike out of the apartment.
Alex watched them go, and Angie laid a gentle hand on her back. "Good taco?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Alex's smile returned, and she nodded. "This baby got what she wants. I have a feeling that's going to be happening a lot..."
The three women shared a laugh as Angie and Emily continued to clean the kitchen, and Alex enjoyed her tacos.
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Alex was laying on Mike's couch later that night, staring blankly at the T.V. as Kiska laid in the crook of her arm, asleep. Angie and Emily had left two hours after Mike and Bobby had left to talk, and now she was just lying there, absently smoothing her hand over the baby's soft hair.
Mike fumbled with the key and the lock for a bit before he finally got the key to slide in and turn. Pushing the door open, he stumbled into the apartment, followed by an equally unsteady Bobby.
Alex watched them enter the apartment, and she frowned. "Don't fall on your face."
Bobby raised an eyebrow. "You think it'd make a difference?" He and Mike both started laughing.
She rolled her eyes. "Just for that, you two can share the bed."
Mike frowned. "Hey, I made it up to him for what I did. I'm not friggin' dating him."
"Good. I'm glad." She adjusted the sleeping child and gently rubbed her back. "You two are going to have the mother of all headaches tomorrow."
"I started off with one of those," Bobby replied. "It's gone now."
Kiska began stirring against her, and she glared at the two men. "She's about to start screaming. One of you knuckleheads should go get a teething ring out of her diaper bag."
They looked at each other. "Diaper bag..." Mike said.
Bobby shrugged. "Don't look at me."
She let out an exasperated sigh. "Kitchen counter, genius." The baby started to cry, and she kissed her head and rubbed her back gently.
"Did you finish your dinner?" Mike asked cautiously.
"You're a wuss, Logan," Bubby muttered, moving across the room toward the kitchen. He opened the diaper bag and rummaged through it, knocking a glass off the counter with his elbow. It hit the ground and shattered. "Whoops," he commented.
Alex groaned and tried to calm the baby. "You two are like two of the three stooges, you know that?"
"I'll help him," Mike assured her.
Bobby brought the teething ring to Alex, nearly tumbling onto her when he leaned over to hand it to her.
Alex sat upright on the couch, settling the baby into the crook of her right arm as she handed her the teething ring.
She eyed the men as the baby chewed on the ring. "You two might want to go lay down, before you fall on your asses. Cause I'm in no position to be able to pick you two up."
Mike shoved Bobby's shoulder and he almost fell over. Laughing, Mike said, "C'mon...we gotta clean up that glass."
Alex settled back against the arm of the couch, with a view of the men attempting to clean the mess. Then she looked at the baby and said, "I don't understand them either, honey."
It took ten minutes for them to get the glass cleaned up and both of them ended up cut on the hand. When they came out of the kitchen, they both had a freshly opened beer. Mike told her, "Be careful in there, in case we missed any glass."
"Okay." At the sight of Mike, the baby took the ring out of her mouth and waved at him. "Da!"
He waved back. "Hi, baby."
A huge smile spread over her face, and she looked back at Alex, then at Mike again before saying in an almost questioning manner, "Ma?"
"Uh, no, baby, Mommy isn't here right now. We'll see her tomorrow." He looked at Bobby. "Did you hear her say 'Ma'?"
"I think so."
Alex had tears in her eyes, and for the tenth time that day, cursed her fluctuating hormones. "Come here, beautiful," she murmured, hugging the little girl close.
Mike drained his beer and said, "If you want, you guys can still have the, uh...the bed."
Alex looked at him, then rose to her feet, shifting the baby to her hip. "Actually, bed sounds pretty good right now," she said softly.
Bobby watched her with interest. "Really?"
She looked at him. "Yes. I'm tired, and I need to get some sleep so I have the energy to deal with you two tomorrow."
"Oh...um...is it okay...if I...uh..." he trailed off, uncertain.
"Bobby, you've got to be kidding me..." She rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Of course you're coming, too."
He looked relieved. "Um, let me just finish this." He held up the bottle in his hand.
"Fine." She kissed the baby's cheek, then sat her down on the carpeted floor, in front of the couch. She immediately began crawling toward a toy that had been tossed in the corner of the room.
Resting her hand on her belly, she gave Mike an amused little wave and said, "Good night, Mike." Then she turned around and headed into the bedroom.
Bobby drained his beer and followed her.
She was pulling back the covers when he appeared in the door, and she smiled at him before climbing into the bed.
He stood by the bed, watching her and letting the wall keep his balance, giving her a lop-sided grin.
She rolled her eyes as she settled back against the pillows and patted the bed beside her. "Come on, big guy. We've got a lot to do tomorrow."
He crossed to the bed, sat down and began struggling with the buttons on his shirt.
She pushed herself up and deftly unbuttoned his shirt, then gently guided him down against the pillows.
He grinned again and brushed his fingers through her hair. "Beautiful," he murmured softly.
She chuckled softly and rested her head on his shoulder. "Sleep, baby."
"Uh...the room's spinning," he said.
She kissed his nose and gently brushed her thumb along his eyes. "Go to sleep."
He gave her a sleepy smile. "No pain though," he whispered.
"Good." She reached down and pulled the blanket over them, then settled into his side with her head resting close to his heart.
TBC...
A/N: Well, there's the update. We really hope ya'll enjoyed it, and we'll be back again soon with another update.