I may not be able to post for a few days, so I thought I should bring this one to an end. Thanks for the kind reviews.

Chapter 11

It was Alex's turn to take on the role of comforter. She stroked Bobby's back and whispered softly in his hair. "It's all right," she said over and over. "I love you…I'm here…I'm not going to leave…"

Bobby's tears finally eased and stopped. He moved from her arms and gratefully accepted the tissues she offered him.

"We're going to have to start buying these in bulk," Alex said. "We seem to spend a lot of time doing this."

Bobby gave her a weak smile. Alex smiled back at him.

"Hey," she said. "You're going to get cold and get sick again…leave me again with all the paperwork."

Bobby started to get up. "I'll help you change the bed…"

"No, wait…stay here…just a bit." Alex padded out of the room leaving a relieved but puzzled Bobby.

He fell back against the damp sheets and tried to accept that Alex Eames wasn't afraid (or at least was doing an excellent job of not showing it); wasn't going to leave him; didn't want him to leave; and loved him. The idea that someone--anyone, let alone this tough, smart, beautiful woman—loved him enough not to be afraid overwhelmed him. Bobby shivered, not only as a result of the cold air, and pulled a blanket around his body. He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the combination of lavender, laundry soap, and Alex. He heard water running in the distance. "What's she up to?" he thought.

Alex entered the room and walked over to the bed. "Please," she said extending her hand. "Sit up."

Bobby obeyed. Alex sat before him and gently kissed him on the forehead. "Do you remember" she asked, "that night…after that awful case not long after we came together..."

"Uh…yea." Bobby blinked. "Why…why would you remember…"

"Not the case." She rested her hands on his knees. "After…what you did for me. Please…I want to do that for you."

Bobby was confused. "I…don't understand…"

"Bobby," Alex said with gentle exasperation, "for a genius, you can be awfully dense." She kissed him on the nose. "Please…let me do this for you."

Bobby blinked again and took a long breath. "Ok," he sighed.

"Well, if it's going to be torture for you, maybe I'll reconsider." Alex laughed; after a beat Bobby joined her.

"The intelligent, tough, beautiful woman that I love is offering to take care of me, and I'm worried about it. I may have more to worry about than monsters." Bobby smiled.

Alex grinned at him. "Here," she said, and pulled his T-shirt over his head. She winced at the fading bruises and touched them gently.

"Still hurt?"

"Only," Bobby answered, "when I laugh…cry…breath."

"I'll try not to hurt you…C'mere."

She guided him into the bathroom. Lovely scented bubbles filled the tub and candles lit the room.

"Damn, Eames," Bobby said. "This will completely blow my macho image." He slipped out of his boxers.

"I'm not telling," Alex said. "In the water."

Bobby let the hot water and soap soak into his body. Grateful that Alex had a semi-large tub, he closed his eyes and let his head rest against the tiles. He was drifting towards sleep when he heard and felt Alex enter the room. His eyes remained closed as she began to wash his body with a soft sponge. Each touch soothed him; even his aching ribs softened and relaxed. He had never felt so warm, so safe, so loved. He knew in his mind and heart and soul that Alex was right. The monsters might come back; he might have to fight them. But they couldn't and wouldn't have Alex, and Alex couldn't and wouldn't let them have him.

Alex lifted his left arm and gently washed the cuts on the wrist. Bobby gazed at her, and Alex swam in his chocolate eyes.

"All right?" she whispered.

"Much, much better than all right," he answered.

She glided her fingers over his wrist. "Do the doctors think there'll be scars?"

"Probably." Bobby sensed they were referring to far more than physical marks. "But I'll just add them to my collection."

She kissed the cuts. "It must have hurt a lot."

"Yea…but…the kids…they were brave…so brave…and I knew…I had to stay alive…for them…for you…" Bobby leaned back against the tiles. "I…I'm not used to this, Alex…to have…something…someone…"

Alex kissed him. "Here…let me wash your hair."

"What little there is," Bobby murmured as her fingers weaved in and out of his short curls.

"You should let it grow a bit…not too long…but a little," Alex said. "Here, I'll rinse it."

She poured warm water over Bobby's head; he felt renewed, baptized by the water. Alex unplugged the tub, and, as the water drained, she filled the pitcher again and again with warm water and poured it over Bobby's body.

"Can you get out?" she finally whispered.

Bobby rose carefully from the tub; Alex wrapped the fluffiest and largest of her towels around him. She walked him into the bedroom, gently dried him, and guided him to lie face down on the clean, soft sheets. Bobby smelled a subtle, sweet scent, and Alex began slowly and methodically to rub a warmed lotion into his back. He purred softly in contentment.

"I'm not hurting you…"

"No…" The pillows muffled Bobby's voice. "It's wonderful."

Alex kissed him between his shoulders. She massaged his neck and shoulders, rubbing the lotion into his muscles, kneading them and feeling them loosen beneath her fingers. Bobby buried his face into the pillows. Alex worked her way down Bobby's body, gently pushing, pulling, pummeling his hips and legs and feet. His body became limp and liquid; he had never been so relaxed.

"Please…turn over," Alex whispered, and she slipped into bed beside him.

Bobby obeyed and saw that she had shed her clothes. As much as she could, she wrapped around him.

"There are only two things I really dislike about being so much smaller than you," she said. "You get all the water when we take a shower together, and I can't cocoon you the way you do me."

They could just see each other in the room's dim light. "Sorry," he answered, "but I'm not inclined to give up either one."

Alex pushed him gently on his back. "At least I can be a bit of a blanket," she said and stretched over him and drew the covers around them. Bobby embraced her, and she nested on him.

"No monsters," Alex said confidently, "are going to get us."

"I know…I believe," Bobby replied.

Their breaths matched, and they fell asleep.

THE END