I confess I was afraid there might be some flack over my connecting Bobby and Elizabeth, but everyone's been accepting. So...on with the story.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Alex sipped her coffee and walked into Major Case. She was both satisfied and curious when she saw no sign of her partner. This was the fifth day in a month that she'd beaten him in to the office. She'd also arrived at the same time as him on several other days. In all of the years of their partnership, Alex had only beaten Bobby into the office when he was off chasing some clue. Before this month, the only times they arrived at Major Case at the same time were when they had stayed at one or the other's home because they were too involved with or exhausted by a case to get to their own beds,

Alex deposited her purse in her desk, switched on her computer, and looked at her partner's desk. His binder and coffee weren't on the desk, and Alex felt reasonably certain Bobby wasn't in the building. As she scanned her emails, Alex considered Bobby's recent behavior. In addition to not arriving early—he was never late but was mastering the ability to arrive at the last possible moment to avoid it—he was no longer staying late. He was still more than willing to stay later, arrive early, or not go home if it meant coming closer to solving a case, but it now appeared that not all of his life revolved around work.

"Or me," Alex thought ruefully. They still frequently ate lunch together; they still devoured pizza and Chinese food in the middle of the night. But Bobby wasn't available for weekend breakfasts, and he had even, with great reluctance and promises of future events, begged off opportunities to hang out with Alex and her nephew. There was the morning she called Bobby to let him know they were needed on a case. It took him longer than usual to answer his phone, and when he did, Alex could've sworn she heard a muffled female voice in the background. And there were the moments when his cell phone would ring with a tone Alex didn't recognize and he would scurry to another room to answer it.

"He's involved with someone," Alex thought. "And he doesn't want anyone to know…not even me." She felt pangs of jealousy and anger. She had always told Bobby about her dates, had even introduced him to a few. Bobby was less open about his romantic life, but he commented to Alex about a few of them and sought her advice about how to treat them. She even met one or two at some police functions. Alex thought that it had been some time since either of them discussed a date, and she realized with a slight shock that Bobby had reacted to some of her descriptions of dates with a sad resignation.

"You should be happy for him," Alex thought. "If anyone deserves to be happy, it's him…"

Juggling his binder and coffee, Bobby stepped into Major Case. Ross was right behind him.

"Your partner beat you in again, Detective," Ross said with a smile.

"Yes," Bobby agreed. "But I am here before you, Captain."

"True," Ross said. "I'm glad you seem to be getting some rest. Good morning, Eames. You're making the rest of us look like slackers."

"Someone has to keep an eye on things," Alex said.

Ross smiled as he turned to go to his office. Alex watched as Bobby deposited his binder, turned on his computer, and started his day. The one thing arguing against the possibility Bobby was in a new relationship was that he showed none of the euphoric signs that usually accompanied a new love. He seemed more peaceful than he had in months—more peaceful since before his mother's fatal illness—but there was no joy in him.

"Eames," Bobby asked. "Am I that fascinating?"

Alex started. "Sorry…I…I was just wondering…You seem to have developed a life outside of work."

Bobby concentrated on his computer screen for a moment. "I…I may have developed one…Or at least a little part of it…"

Alex twirled her pen. "You…You don't…It doesn't seem to be…thrilling…"

"It…It's complicated," Bobby said. "I…I'm not…I don't want to hide things from you, Eames…It's just…There is another person…And…" He waved a large paw. "It's complicated."

"Are you happy?"

"Yes…But then, my experience and definition of happy is a bit unusual," he said with a wry smile.

Alex didn't press the issue. He was happy; he arrived at work sharp and rested. Whatever was happening in his life had good results. But Alex was frequently disturbed by the sadness that surrounded him, a sadness that seemed to be from more than the pressures of the job. In some ways, she regarded this as a sign that the old Bobby was coming back. Their solve rate remained high even through all of his troubles, but Bobby's preoccupations and suspension cut heavily into the number of cases they cleared. Alex knew that part of Ross' support for Bobby came because the detective's absence greatly lowered the Major Case Squad's efficiency ratings. Bobby was simply grateful for the support, didn't question the reasons for it, and worked as well as he ever had.

But Bobby's attitude and behavior gnawed at Alex. It reminded her of something or someone she couldn't quite put her finger on. One day at lunch Bobby's cell rang with that unfamiliar tone. He gave her an apologetic look, walked away from the table, and huddled in a corner. And Alex knew where she'd experienced that behavior before. Roughly a year after Joe's death she'd stumbled into a relationship with an Assistant D.A. who was separated from his wife. He was honest with Alex. He had hopes of making his marriage work again, and his two kids had to come first. Alex agreed and understood, or at least she said she understood and thought she did. She found herself waiting for his calls and grabbing any moment she could be with him, even if it meant disrupting time with her family and friends. It was when she realized she was letting her job slip that she knew the affair had to end. The lawyer wasn't terribly upset when she broke it off. He had been trying to find some way to do the same thing. Bobby's behavior reminded her of her own.

"Somebody's using him," Alex thought. She stabbed a tomato in anger. "Somebody is going to hurt him." She tried to calm herself. "He's a grown-up…He's not some innocent…He's had plenty of girlfriends…But…" She watched him. He faced away from her, but she saw the tension in his body. "He's a romantic. He's sweet and kind and he lets women walk all over him. He wants so much to love…to be loved…"

Bobby turned, and Alex stared at her salad. He returned to the table, and Alex knew him well enough to see the disappointment in his eyes and body.

"Ok?" she asked.

"Uh…yea…" Bobby opened his sandwich, removed bits of onion and tomato. "Just…Eames…You know that raincheck I asked for the last time you took Nate to the zoo?"

"Yea…"

"Could I take you up on that this weekend?"

"I'll need to check with Nate's Mom and Dad," Alex said. "But I don't think there'll be a problem. Nate will love it. So will I."

The disappointment left him. "Great…Great…"

"I thought you had plans for the weekend," Alex said cautiously.

"Uh…They fell through," Bobby said.

Alex stabbed again at her salad. "I…I know it's really none of my business…But…You've always stayed out of my life unless I asked you not to…And you've always given me good advice…"

"I appreciate your concern," Bobby said. "I really do…But…There's circumstances…"

"It's just…I don't want you to get hurt…or used…"

He looked at her with surprise and guilt. "I…There's always a chance of getting hurt…and I'm…I'm not being used…Or if I am, I don't mind. But thanks again for the concern."

She didn't press further. She was already surprised that he'd allowed her so far inside his carefully defended walls.

She and Nate spent a great Saturday at the zoo with Bobby. Nate insisted on visiting his favorite animals, and Bobby delighted Nate with obscure and wonderful information about them.

"He's a good kid," Bobby said as they watched Nate run around to roust the birds near a food stand. "He was worried about how the animals felt about being in cages. Pretty compassionate for a kid his age."

"You ok?" Alex asked. "You…you seem a little preoccupied…"

"I was just thinking Nate is about the same age as Greg Torelli…I'm sorry," he said in response to Alex's disapproving look. "You know I can't bury past cases."

"Yea," she said understandingly.

"Nate's lucky…To have two parents who love him." Bobby watched Nate wistfully.

"Yea," Alex agreed. "My sister told me that the parents of a friend of Nate are splitting up. The little boy is very confused, so he's been spending a lot of time with Nate. Apparently one of the parents was having an affair. Too bad when kids get hurt because of that."

Bobby was quiet for the rest of day, something even Nate noticed.

"Are you ok, Bobby?" he asked as they walked to Bobby's car.

"I'm just thinking about a lot of things," Bobby answered.

"Aunt Alex says you think too much some of the time," Nate said.

Alex blushed, but Bobby smiled. "Your Aunt Alex is absolutely right…I do think too much," he said.

In spite of Alex and Nate's please, Bobby declined an invitation to diner at the boy's house. "I'd love to," he said. "But I have to take care of some things."

Alex didn't hear from Bobby on Sunday. She spent the day with her family and enjoyed herself as much as she had in a long time until Nate asked her why Bobby was so sad. She didn't have a good answer for the boy or herself. "Whoever he's involved with," she thought. "She's not making him very happy." She managed to tear herself away from her family and get to bed at a decent hour, so she wasn't as grumpy as she might have been when her phone woke her shortly before five.

It was an apologetic and sleepy Ross. "I'm afraid this is probably a simple case," he said. "But it's a politician wanting NYPD's best…"

"It's good to know Bobby and I are the best," Alex answered. "I'll call Bobby and we'll be at the scene as soon as we can."

Bobby didn't answer his phone until the tenth ring. He was distracted and confused. "I'll be ok as soon as I get a shower and coffee," he responded to Alex's concern.

"I'll pick you up in exchange for a cup of coffee," Alex said.

"You got it…Thanks, Eames."

Traffic was till light, and Alex made good time in reaching One Police Plaza. The officer in charge of the car pool was an old acquaintance, and Alex got the SUV and arrived at Bobby's building much earlier than she expected. She decided not to call on the chance Bobby might still be in the shower. She stuck a card identifying the SUV as a police vehicle on the dash and headed up to Bobby's apartment. She stepped from the elevator and froze. There in Bobby's open front door were Bobby and Elizabeth Torelli engaged in a deep and passionate embrace and kiss.

END CHAPTER FOURTEEN