Disclaimer: I don't own anything connected to Law & Order: Criminal Intent but if Dick Wolf is feeling generous I'm always willing to take delivery. No financial gain involved in writing this story, so please don't sue.
Summary: Definitely B/A - but if you've read any of my other stuff you could have guessed that ;o) I've been rewatching my Season 1 DVDs and this is what happened in my head after some of the episodes. Hope you enjoy.
Alex's POV
Carver and I have a short discussion regarding how he intends to handle the case when it gets to court. It takes a great deal of self-control not to slap the ADA's hand away as he gives my forearm a gentle squeeze. I know he's trying to reassure me that we'll get this guy but he seems to have no idea of what the real problem is.
As Carver tries to reassure me, Bobby comes back into the Observation Room with a printout in his hand. Carver turns and leaves the room, Deakins is already gone and I find myself alone with my partner.
"Promise me a margarita when this is all over." I don't believe I used that tone of voice right here in the Observation Room. That was so completely unlike the way I usually sound at work.
Bobby meets my eyes and gives me that little smile of his that goes straight to my knees and I wonder if he knows how deeply he can affect me with such a simple action. The fact that he's dressed casually right now really doesn't help. The sight of him in jeans, t-shirt and fatigue jacket is enough to stop me thinking about anything other than the possibility of what could, so easily, happen between us again if only I would give us the chance. Then he draws my attention to the information he's looking at and we're back to working the case.
Bobby's POV
I had to leave the Observation Room because being in such close proximity to my partner, when I can feel her discomfort so clearly but do nothing to alleviate her pain is just too much to handle right now. As I return, printout in hand, I see Carver grip her forearm and my self-restraint is tested anew as I fight the temptation to tell him to keep his hands to himself.
Two months of being unable to touch her is getting close to killing me from sheer frustration. I've never wanted any woman this badly and yet I know I have to let her be the one to decide if we will take a step away from our professional selves again, because she was the one who decided we shouldn't be anything more than partners and friends.
"Promise me a margarita when this is all over." I smile at her as she speaks and look into her eyes. For a second this is Alex in front of me, vulnerable and open, and I feel again the urge the comfort the woman I love.
I have to force myself to draw her attention to the papers in my hand and watch her instant transformation back into Eames, as we go back to working the case at hand.
Alex's POV
Well it's all over, Griscom has been transferred to Central Booking and Deakins has just told me and Bobby to take tomorrow off. It's late at night after a long day and this has been a tough case for all of us, I guess even Deakins has picked up on my tension. I wonder if Bobby will suggest taking me to the bar we've been frequently recently near 1PP for the margarita I more or less begged him to buy me a few days ago. I decide to leave the first move up to Bobby. I know it's unfair of me to do so, given that I was the one who put a distance between us in private but I need to know that he still wants me, that he's willing to give us a chance. This case has reminded me that life can throw up all kinds of surprises, some good, some bad. Perhaps falling in love with my partner doesn't have to be one of the bad surprises, especially as I believe he loves me in return.
"Alex." I look up to find myself gazing into his eyes.
"Bobby." I sound tired but oddly relaxed. I don't feel relaxed, I'm on tenterhooks.
"You still wanna get that margarita?" His voice is soft, pitched low so that there's no chance of the few of our colleagues who are still in the squad room hearing him.
I hesitate for just a moment, knowing this is going to be more than just a drink between partners. This is, possibly, going to be us talking about why this case struck so close to home for me. This is, very possibly, going to the two of us, once again, stepping away from the bounds of our professional relationship and into territory we charted two months ago. Two months ago that territory seemed too dangerous to continue exploring but now I think, maybe, I was wrong because trying to ignore what happened that night, and more importantly what I know we both felt that night, really isn't working.
I haven't been able to drag my eyes away from his and I know he can easily read what I'm thinking, it's there in my eyes, because I simply don't have the energy to try and hide it from him any longer.
"Sounds like a plan." I reply, my voice equally quiet.
"Mahoney's?" He suggests the bar near 1PP we've tended to frequent for the past two months. It's safe there, nothing can happen, we both have to get to our respective homes after a couple of drinks and things can't get out of hand.
"Jake's." I state simply, still looking into his eyes.
Jake's is actually Halloran's Bar & Grill in Brooklyn. It belongs to a retired cop and is very much in Bobby's neighbourhood, in fact it's only a couple of blocks from his apartment. We used to drop in there for a few drinks on evenings when I was dropping him off at his place and then I'd decide I couldn't be bothered to drive the rest of the way to my house in Rockaway. Since 'the incident' I've avoided the temptation that staying over at his apartment would place before me but tonight I want to be able to talk to him in private and I figure we can head to Jake's grab a meal, since we skipped lunch, have a couple of drinks and then head back to his apartment to talk. What will happen after that, I'm not sure, so much depends of his reaction to what I need to tell him about my past.
He nods and his eyes drop from mine, as he gathers his belongings from his desk. I have no idea what's going on in his head, as I follow his lead and gather my things ready to leave. I just hope I can get through the conversation ahead and still be sure of his respect and friendship for me.
Bobby's POV
We're finally done with this case, Griscom is in custody, the preliminary paperwork is finished and Deakins has just headed out, telling me and Alex to take the next day off. I check the time, it's almost eleven o'clock but that's not too late to head out and grab a drink, maybe get something to eat since neither of us has eaten since breakfast. I really want to take a chance that Alex will still be willing to open up about what happened to her that made this case so deeply personal. I know if we don't talk about this tonight she'll rebury whatever it is and there will be another wall between us. The last thing I want is to have more barriers between us.
I glance around the squad room. Most of our colleagues have already headed home but I still keep my voice low and intimate to ensure I'm not overheard.
"Alex." She looks up from the paperwork she's just completed. There's no surprise in her eyes at my use of her first name.
"Bobby." She tired, I can hear it in her voice but, for the first time since we caught this case, there's no tension in her voice or her eyes.
"You still wanna get that margarita?" God I hope she says yes.
"Sounds like a plan." She hasn't broken eye contact at all and I take that as a good sign. In fact, given that she's not trying to hide what she's feeling right now, it's a very good sign.
"Mahoney's?" That's the bar a few blocks away that we've taken to visiting for our after work drinks since the night we made love. We used to go there early on in our partnership, before our friendship allowed her to stay at my apartment on those nights when she didn't feel like the longer drive to her own home.
"Jake's." She counters, not elaborating upon her choice of what had, prior to that night two months ago, become our regular hangout on those nights she decided to sleep at my place.
I nod, I can't trust myself to speak because I can see in her eyes that tonight she wants to talk to me. She wants to tell me what she's been battling not to react to, unsuccessfully, throughout our investigation. There's more than that in her eyes though. For the first time since the day I introduced her to Lewis a month ago, I can clearly see her love and need for me in her eyes. I just hope I can give her what she needs from me tonight.
A/N: Next chapter – margarita anybody?
