Disclaimer: I do not own these characters Dick Wolf does yadda yadda.

Fires Within

Chapter Eleven.

Bobby felt human again after he had taken two Tylenol and had a shower. He was in the kitchen marinating the meat for the BBQ he was wearing gloves as Fitz liked his buffalo wings real hot and he had gotten him some Mad Dog ghost chili sauce that needed a health warning on it. He placed these chicken wings in a special bag and for fun drew a skull and cross bones on it and prayed that the sauce wouldn't eat through the plastic zip lock bag. He nearly jumped when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his waist.

Paula had arrived and left Noah in the living room with his comic. She had to suppress a laugh when she saw Bobby draw on the bag. She tip toed up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and placed a kiss on his broad back.

"Need any help with that?" She asked him.

Bobby turned in her arms so that he was facing her. She always smelt so good. He wrapped his arms around her waist then pulled her up against him. He leant down and brushed his lips over hers, and smiled when she took the initiative and deepened the kiss.

After several minutes of kissing Bobby Paula pulled back.

"So how was your evening with Lewis and Fitz?" She asked as she stroked her hand over his chest.

"Well after I had walked you home, I can't remember too much about the rest of the evening. We got a little bit drunk." He replied.

"They seem to be missing. Are they still asleep upstairs?"

"Nope Eames arrived and then they decided they needed to go and get some more stuff for the party so they all piled into her car and left." He bent down and placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose. Then took her hand and walked into the living room and greeted Noah.

It was an hour later when Alex pulled up in front of the beach house and honked her horn. Fitz and Lewis had bought out the store and she needed help getting it all back into the house. She was amazed that her little Honda had managed to clear the ramp of the ferry and didn't get stuck. The men sure knew how to party that was for sure. Fitz had asked her to leave them at the harbor as they wanted to go and buy some more stuff for the BBQ. Alex then drove to the house. As she was getting some bags out of the trunk of her car, Bobby appeared beside her and grabbed the two kegs of beer.

"Let me see to this stuff Alex you go inside and make your -self comfortable ok?" Bobby then turned and carried the kegs into the house to place in the big fridge in the kitchen. Alex entered the house, pausing as she entered the living room when she saw the woman and the boy in the wheelchair.

"Hi, my name is Alex I'm Bobby's partner." She introduced herself.

Paula turned and then walked up to Alex and offered her, her hand which Alex took.

"Hi, I'm Paula Gyson and this is my son Noah. It's nice to meet you."

Alex smiled and then walked over to Noah and was surprised when he answered her in sign.

"My son is deaf and can't speak. He was involved in a car accident when he was three, it left him paralyzed from the waist down and unable to hear or speak." She explained to Alex.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Bobby told me that you were here on vacation also."

"Yes it was a huge coincidence; we encountered each other in a local restaurant one evening." Paula was interrupted when Bobby walked into the room.

Bobby had hoped that he would have gotten the groceries into the house in time to be able to introduce them with each other. He was glad to see that they seemed to like each other. He was going to have to talk to Eames and hope that she didn't explode at what he told her. When Paula walked up to him and placed a kiss on his lips before she headed into the kitchen it didn't help matters any. He knew when he saw the shock on Eames's face that it was not going to be an easy task.

"Uh … Eam…. Uh … I mean Alex let's go for a little walk." He suggested and felt doomed when all Alex did was angrily nod her head and walked outside ahead of him. She came to a halt as she reached the beach and turned angrily on Bobby, who raised both hands in a surrendering gesture.

"What the hell Bobby! When was I gonna find out about you two, after Moran called me into his office or before?" She stood and glared at him.

Bobby took a deep breath and tried to control how he answered her.

"You think I was hiding this from you?" He shook his head in anger. "I made that mistake once and I am not about to repeat it OK!" They both stood there in a standoff staring angrily at each other.

Alex looked at him and let out a sigh. "How long?"

Bobby gestured for them both to take a seat in the sand. "It isn't what you think Alex. It is true that I have always been attracted to her but this. "- Bobby rubbed his face in his hands.

"I don't even know how to describe what it is between us, I feel strongly for her Alex. This relationship only started here on vacation. I wasn't hiding anything from you. Truth is I don't know where this is going to lead. Our job doesn't exactly help any personal relationships does it?"

Alex looked at him and sighed.

"Bobby if Moran gets wind of this you know full well that the shit is going to hit the fan."

Bobby looked out over the ocean.

"Yes I know that and have already talked it through with Paula. If he decides that I need another reevaluation then so be it. After all these years Alex I finally feel happy and content. Paula has already written to the NYPD and told them she quit being my therapist. You are important to me too, you are my best friend. I need for you to be ok with this too."

Alex looked into his eyes and all her annoyance drained from her. She closed the distance between them and gave him a big hug.

"Bobby you know I always have your back. I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions and got all angry with you."She pleaded.

"No, no with all the crap I have put you through…."

Alex reached up and put a finger over his lips.

"Bobby I want you to know that I understand the reasons you went undercover, at the time I felt betrayed. I know now that Moran gave you an ultimatum and the consequences that would occur if you told me about it. To me you are a hero for uncovering the torture's going on at Tate's and deserved a medal, not a suspension. Truth is I haven't seen you this relaxed and happy in a long time and if Dr Gyson is the reason for this then of course I'm happy for you both."

Bobby looked down at his partner words failed him so he took her into his arms and hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.

"I don't know about you but I'm starving, how about we go inside and make some sandwiches?" Alex looked up and grinned at him then ran back into the beach house.

When Fitz and Lewis had returned they saw that Fitz had raided the local fishermen and had brought back enough lobsters to feed a platoon. Fitz took over the task of preparing them for the BBQ. Everyone else helped set up the BBQ and everything they needed on the beach at their doorstep. They all got into their swim suits and hit the beach. Paula had just finished applying sun block to Noah when Bobby walked up behind her. They had carried him down to the beach and sat him comfortably on a blanket. Bobby couldn't keep his eyes off of Paula she looked stunning in her bikini.

"Ok buddy, you ready to go for a swim?" Bobby asked Noah. Paula looked up puzzled at Bobby. He looked at her and smiled.

"Noah has never been in the ocean, he always swims at our place in the pool." She told bobby.

Bobby could see the worry in her eyes; he stroked her face and kissed her on the lips softly.

"Do you trust me? I promise that everything will be ok; I will hold him the whole time and never let him out of our sight."

Paula relaxed and nodded at Bobby who picked Noah up and walked down to the water with him. Paula walked beside him holding his free hand. They joined Alex and the two men in the ocean. After 45 minutes of fun in the ocean they walked back to the blankets and Bobby went and fired up the grill. Bobby had to grin at Lewis's attempts to flirt with Alex, after he had the grill alight he returned onto the blanket next to Paula and Noah. She had finished drying him and gave him the sun block so that he could reapply it himself. He had thoroughly enjoyed swimming with Bobby in the ocean and was now all excited about the BBQ.

Alex sat on her towel and reached over and got an ice tea from the cool box and took a big drink. She glanced over at Bobby and Paula with Noah. She watched as Paula turned to Bobby and stroked her hand over his chest and kissed him. It was weird seeing Bobby being so intimate and relaxed, it brought a smile to her lips. If and whatever problems rose from this occurred, then they would face them together just as they had always dealt with their problems. She would do all she could to help Bobby, any fool could see that he loved Paula. She had to grin at that Bobby had fallen in love with a shrink. One thing that she knew he had found someone who could match his intelligence and who knew accepted him totally.

For now …. THE END.