A/N: Alright I'm... not sure about this chapter. I had a list of things that needed to happen and I got them all, and I'm happy with the beginning but I'm not sure about the end. It was supposed to be fluffier and less... depressing. But Alex was all depressed- and I couldn't change her tone no matter how I tried. Sigh.
Disclaimer: They're still not mine- and I'm as depressed as Alex about it.
"So here we are, two happily committed women – surrounded by nothing but hot available men." Lish spoke with a sigh as she collapsed into a chair at my desk. I snorted in response, glancing around the room.
"Where?" My voice was dry and she laughed at my tone. A wadded up ball of paper hit my head and when I looked up with a glare Dick was pointing at Andy who sat twiddling his thumbs with an angelic expression. When I threw it back at him he frowned fiercely at me, catching it easily.
"Just expressing my opinion that I am a very hot and available man." He grinned and winked before answering his phone which had started to ring. Turning back to Lish I rolled my eyes slightly and muttered under my breath.
"I didn't mean here. Just that it seems like as soon as you start dating a ton of guys hit on you. Why in the hell is that?" I laughed slightly glancing across at Lish with a grin.
"I don;'t know. Maybe they're testing you. Who knows- although I'm a bit pissed that I don't seem to be getting all these offers." I glanced down at my front self consciously and then glanced at Lish's decidedly more endowed self. "Then again- I'm not really surprised."
"Oh shut up." She glared at me while crossing her arms over her chest, causing me to chuckle to myself. "Whatever- so do you guys have anything special planned for this weekend?"
"Yeah – I plan on doing nothing but enjoy my time off after tonight." I frowned at the file in front of me – another young girl arrested for soliciting. She couldn't have been more than fifteen- I hated these cases.
"Alex that's depressing. It's Valentine's Day for fuck's sake!" She looked at me with reproach and I rolled my eyes at her. "Come on- everyone has a date on Valentine's. Hell even Conner found someone desperate enough to date him more than once."
"Hey I can be a charming guy when I need to be." Joe shot from across the room where he was inspecting surveillance equipment with Jeffs.
"Yeah too bad your an ass the rest of the time." Dick shot back, guffawing at his own joke while Andy high fived him despite still being on the phone.
"It's a stupid holiday invented by greeting card companies and only serves to make single people feel pathetic." I growled, slamming the folder shut and turning my full attention to Lish who looked unrepentant.
"Yeah- and you're not single so no need for the crabby speech. What did Bobby not make plans?" I glared harder and she laughed out loud. "Oh he didn't. Nice. Well Lewis booked us a cabin up in-"
"Don't make me kick your ass in the squad room." I spoke evenly through my teeth and she grinned. Conner glance dover, suddenly alert.
"Oh- or you could Eames. You could take her. Come on- girl fight." My glare made him take a step back and turn back to Jeffs who was pointing out the features of the new equipment.
"It doesn't matter what you do Alex- seriously. Who knows, maybe he'll surprise you." I stood, heading for the locker room with a frown.
"Whatever- come on guys- we need to be ready to roll in a bit." I threw over my shoulder as I stepped into the locker room to change into my undercover gear. It wasn't so much that the whole Valentine's thing bugged me- it didn't really. I was looking forward to a weekend off and it was the first time in six weeks that Bobby and I had the same days off. Just spending time with each other would be great. Since his promotion he was working mostly days- of course he still got calls at night- but for the most part he was forced to work daylight hours since that was the best time to investigate. Which unfortunately for us meant we saw each other very little- he worked opposite hours to mine.
I pulled my boots on, my frown deepening as I did so. I had just been more irritable than usual lately- and it was beginning to show. The fact that Lish was completely in love with and totally happy with Lewis didn't really help my mood much. I muttered to myself as I zipped my boots and didn't hear the door open so when Andy sat next to me, I gave a small scream and glared at him. "You scared the shit out of me."
"Sorry girl. Hey- how are you- really?" His tone was concerned and his gaze held mine until I forced myself to relax and smile.
"I'm fine- I'll be fine. Just moody I guess- it hasn't been the best month so far. And I hate February as a rule. It's cold and dirty and sloshy and just.. blah." His arm wrapped around my shoulders as he gave me a tight hug from the side.
"It'll be spring soon Heidi. Then you can have pigtails and burst into song." I laughed weakly and he glanced at me seriously. "If you need to talk though- you know I'm good for it right? I would never discuss anything- you're my girl." To my horror I felt the threat of tears pricking the back of my eyes at his words. I bit my lip to stop them and nodded at him, hugging him briefly.
"I know. Thanks Andy."
I frowned at the slush that was trying desperately to seep it's way into my boots, making my feet feel like ice slabs with heels. I sighed softly – despite the weather being shitty we had collared quite a few johns tonight. Guess Valentine's makes them feel romantic. I snorted under my breath, bringing my hands up to my face and breathing on them to warm them up. I thought longingly of my mittens at home, wishing that just for once it wouldn't look ridiculous for a hooker to have a mini skirt on with mittens. I was freezing my ass off, especially since the leather coat I wore did nothing to warm me – and since I was wearing practically nothing under it – it was a bit like standing outside in my coat and nothing else. Plus I was tired – which lead to me barely being able to stand up, let alone look like I was hot to trot.
Leaning against a rough brick wall I laid my head against it, wondering how much time I had left exactly. Hookers surprisingly didn't really wear watches either- although you'd think in a trade where you charged by the hour it would be a useful tool. "Not much longer girl." Andy's voice sounded in my ear and I smiled weakly, burying my hands in my jacket pockets and my face into my collar. As I scanned the street out of habit – it often paid to keep an eye on the other girls and some of the johns as well – I frowned slightly at the sight of a man across the street scurrying away from a doorway. I could barely make him out in the lack of light, but he seemed to have an unnatural air of excitement around him as he turned the corner and disappeared. My eyes rested on the doorway he had come out of with a sense of unease.
I glanced over at the van, indicating silently that I was going over there. As I crossed the street Dick's voice warned me to be careful. The door he had exited lead to an empty storefront – some girls took refuge from the cold here, while others had set up a mattress in the dirty back room for those johns who didn't care to pay for a motel or didn't have a car. When I entered the dark empty room, the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up, and I pulled my gun from the concealed pocket I kept it in inside my battered leather coat. Advancing into the room with my weapon drawn I called out, peering into the darkness. My voice echoed around, ricocheting off walls and reverberating in the eerie silence. The air in the room seemed to hang thick and heavy- and yet something was causing sparks to run down my spine, chilling me and making me tightly aware of every small sound.
When I reached the back room, I smelled it before I opened the door. Blood – the scent was thick on the air like copper and as I pushed open the door to see the small girl laying there in the pool of it I sighed softly and replaced the safety on my gun, easing it back into position. Speaking into the wire also housed into my jacket, I informed Andy and Dick of what I found, and waited for them to arrive.
I didn't go into the room- just stood by the door my eyes taking in every detail, from the way her body was twisted to the deep stab wounds that littered her abdomen – the edges of each cut swelling out slightly, an ugly imprint of the violent action. "Eames!" Andy's voice shouted from the front and I hollered back, indicating where I was. He came up to me, covering his mouth slightly at the sight and pulling on my arm. "Are you all right? Dick radioed central- a Homicide unit is on the way along with backup." I nodded, not taking my eyes off of the small figure laying on the thin mattress, dirtied with her own blood and lord knew what else.
"She's so young- couldn't be more than fourteen." I sighed in a weary tone. "Jesus – she didn't deserve this. Nobody does." I rubbed a hand over my face, stepping back as the backup officers came in taping the scene and radioing for the M.E. Andy lead me to the front again, an arm on my shoulders and a hand on my elbow.
"Did you get a good look at the guy?" His voice was low and I shrugged slightly under his hands.
"It was dark- I mean I got a look at him, I just don't think it'll be enough." Dick stepped up to my other side as I spoke and he waited for me to finish before speaking.
"I called Mike- she said we're going back in once we're done here- Homicide will want to interview you though Alex, so we need to wait." He patted my shoulder awkwardly and I smiled weakly at him. I closed my eyes for a minute fighting the exhaustion that seemed to settle over me for a moment. "Eames- are you alright?" I nodded numbly, not wanting to speak out loud. A flurry of activity by the door told me that homicide had arrived.
"Alex?" I glanced up to see Bobby's concerned face and made an effort to smile, if only to reassure him. "Are you alright?"
"Well I'm not the dead one, so yeah- I'd say I'm doing fine." I spoke wryly and I watched as his eyes scanned over me before glancing to the back room. I could practically see his skin crawling to go back there, but he had made sure I was alright first. "I'm fine Bobby. Go." My voice was stronger this time, more firm and he glanced at me once before nodding and striding to the back room, pulling a pair of gloves on as he did so.
"So you're Goren's girlfriend. Nice." I glance dover to the man standing in front of me now, he was a smaller man-not tiny but only about five eleven with slicked back black hair and a sneer plastered on his face. I decided right away that he was an asshole- I knew Bobby had been having issues working with the guy- but I assumed he was just settling in. Apparently I was wrong. "Detective Pierce. All right if I ask you a few questions?" His eyes traveled across my exposed skin as he spoke and I felt an urge to smack him but I simply nodded. Andy on the other hand, had removed his own coat and wrapped it around me, glaring at Pierce as he did so. Pierce however, ignored him, opening a notebook and clicking a pen. "You found her?"
"Yeah- I was working across the street- and I saw a guy exit the building. He looked to be about five foot ten, dark hair, definitely caucasian. He was dressed in dark pants and no jacket- just a sweater. He seemed ... almost excited I guess. His movements were quick, kind of jerky and he was walking fast. Something about him made me suspicious."
"So you checked the place out based on a suspicion?" His tone was slight laced with contempt and Dick glared at him from the left of me.
"Yeah- it's called instinct. Good cops have it." His face was a stone mask as he spoke and I placed a hand on his arm, silently urging him to back off.
"I let my backup know I was going in and when I came in I drew my weapon. No one was in the front, and nothing seemed disturbed, so I continued into the back. When I got back there I could smell the blood first- when I opened the door I saw here there and informed my backup of what I found. I didn't enter the room- I didn't disturb anything back there." He cocked and eyebrow at me, scribbling this in his notebook and nodding.
"How did you know she was dead? If you didn't check."
"She wasn't breathing – and her wounds weren't bleeding. My guess is she's been dead for a little over an hour maybe." He glared over the edge of his notes at me and I bit the inside of my cheek. Lord no wonder Bobby was so depressed about work- if I was working with this ass I would have shot myself by now. No- I would have shot him. Pierce was flipping the book shut with an air of finality now, and he leaned towards me with a grin.
"So- off the record, how can you stand him?"
I frowned in confusion. "Him who?"
"Goren- man that guy is crazy. A few cents short of a dollar if you know what I mean- the way he gets with the db's? It's disgusting. I can barely go back there with him." I felt anger surge through my veins at his words and thankfully felt Andy's hand on my arm, preventing me from decking this prick right in his smug face.
"He's a great detective- his solve rate is through the roof and if his methods are unorthodox- they work. So if I were you, I'd sit back, enjoy the solve rate he's going to give you and shut the fuck up. Off the record of course." My voice was tight and he stepped back with a glare, puffing his chest up and heading towards the back room. I glanced at Andy and Dick, and motioned for them to leave telling them I'd be out in a minute. Heading back to the room, I watched silently as Pierce stood behind Bobby with a look of disgust on his face. Bobby on the other hand was hunched over the girl's body, leaning close by her face and discussing something with the M.E. I frowned watching, realizing her was smelling her breath. As I watched silently, he began to examine her arms, picking them up and stretching them out – looking for track marks probably. The M.E. Pointed something out by the stab wounds, and Bobby leaned closer, inspecting them carefully. Pierce stepped out of the room, coming to stand by me.
"See? A freak." His voice was a strained whisper and I snaked a hand out gripping his arm so tightly it was bound to be almost painful. Looking him in the eyes, I leaned closer.
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up." I ground each word out and he tripped backwards, glaring at me and rubbing his forearm.
"You're both psychos." He muttered before heading to the front of the room. I turned to see Bobby exiting the room and removing his gloves while the M.E. Was busy transferring the body into a bag behind him. He smiled when he saw me and came over.
"Hey- sorry about that- I had to examine her here before the M.E took her. It's the third girl killed this way- we might have a serial." He frowned, running a hand along my arms, his expression already thoughtful. I knew he was thinking about the case, and found that I didn't really mind – it wasn't as though I'd been hurt. He frowned down at me suddenly. "Did Pierce interview you?"
"Yup, and wasn't he delightful." I spoke in a dry tone and Bobby grinned at me, leaning closer.
"Glad to know I'm not alone in my opinion." He chuckled slightly, taking my elbow and leading me outside. "Is that Andy's coat?" He spoke softly and I nodded silently. "Good of him-" He was leading my over to the van now, his eyes scanning the area as he spoke. "I'd never seen you in your undercover.. stuff." He waved a hand slightly and I smiled briefly.
"Lucky you."
"Are you going back to the station now?" I nodded and he pulled me closer, placing a light kiss on my brow. "Alright- I'll see you later? I don't know what time I'll be done. Here- take my key. Go to my place, alright?" He pressed the metal into my hand and I nodded silently, causing him to look down at me in concern. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine Bobby. I swear. I'll see you later." His hand lingered on my shoulder for a moment, trailing along my neck as he nodded, before finally stepping back and lifting a hand as I climbed into the van. As I sank into the seat, I resisted the urge to take a small nap, and settled for merely glancing out the back windows watching as the dark streets flew by.
When I woke up in the morning all that greeted me was the faint scent of him that seemed permanently embedded in his sheets. I smoothed my hand across the empty bed next to me and heaved a sigh- knowing that he hadn't come home at all, and knowing that he probably wouldn't if they had some hot leads on the murder. I frowned, stamping down any irritation at the thought that this was supposed to be our weekend off- and frowned more when I realized it was the fourteenth. Rolling my eyes at myself I dragged my body out of bed – deciding as I stepped into the shower that I would cab it down to the station and pick up breakfast for him at least- he probably wasn't eating- when he got involved in a case at work I was lucky if he remembered how to breathe really.
I dressed quickly, ignoring the lagging feeling that sort of made me just want to crawl back into the bed and hide under the covers – forgetting that this day existed. Instead I called the precinct – finding out from the desk sargeant that yes he was there and his partner had left last night. I sighed – typical of Bobby to stay behind – and hung up the phone before picking it up again to call a cab.
A half hour later I was in front of the precinct house, a bag of food in my hand, steam still rising from into the cold crisp air. I nodded to a few people as I strode in – it was the first time I'd come here since Bobby got transferred but it was also Caleb's old precinct when he had been working beat- so people knew me. I headed up the stairs and into the homicide room when I could see his familiar form, hunched over his desk. The room was at the center of the building, so there were no windows and since Bobby only had his desk lamp on, it was mostly dark.
"Bobby." I touched his shoulder gently and he looked up surprise crossing his face followed quickly by a frown.
"Alex- what are you doing.." His eyes glanced beyond me through the door to the bustle outside of it and he glanced back at me in confusion. "What time is it?"
"Oh about nine thirty." My voice was pleasant as I began pulling out food and setting it on an empty table off to the left of the room. "I brought breakfast- and there's a change of clothes in the bag there- you can take a minute to eat right?" I glanced over briefly as I was pulling a thermos of coffee out of the bottom of the bag. The shocked expression on his face caused my hands to still.
"Alex- I am so sorry – I didn't realize.. we got a lead last night and I-"
"It's alright. Since it's your first offense I'll let you off light- now come over here and eat." He complied with my order, standing and pulling two chairs up. As we sat to eat, he kept watching me almost fearfully. Finally I sighed, putting down my fork and glaring at him. "Bobby, I meant it. I'm not pissed. You care about your work and I get that-"
"Not more than you." His voice was soft and apologetic, and I almost didn't hear him. Placing my hand over his I met his eyes and smiled.
"You think I don't know that?" I leaned across the space between us, while my fingers interlaced with his on the table. Once I was closer I paused, hovering in front of him. "I know that."
He leaned forward kissing me fiercely, his mouth slanting over mine roughly causing the blood to rush through my veins and my mouth to open under his. When he pulled back I was slightly out of breath and leaned into his embrace. "I had a plan for today you know." His voice was a breath in my ear and I could hear the frustration in his tone. "It involved me being there last night and breakfast and a gift.. and I screwed it up."
Leaning back I raised my hand to his face, feeling the rough beard tickle my skin. I smiled at him reassuringly my fingers smoothing the worry from his face. "Well I needed the sleep anyway- I felt like crap yesterday. And there is breakfast- just not at home – and I'm always open for gifts- you know." I grinned at his slight chuckle and he pressed his forehead against mine and was silent for a moment.
"I gave it to you already." I smiled in confusion and he sighed slightly. "Last night- I meant to have it wrapped but I figured I could do that with the one I had right- and I was supposed to say things like how I never thought I would get here and how I know I'm annoying but I'd like you to deal with that on a more permanent basis- it sounded better in the speech I wrote."
I frowned, trying to follow him along the twisted road that his train of thought followed. The only thing he'd given me last night was his key- oh. "Oh- oh! Wait- what?" My heart was pounding and I wasn't really sure if where my mind was jumping was where he was waiting or not.
"I wanted- I thought- I mean you're there all the time anyway- and we could save on rent- and we get to see each other so little- I just thought- you'd be nice to come home to." His voice was halting, going in stops and starts as if he needed to force the words out and my mouth quirked at the corners in a mix of exasperation, amusement and love.
"Alright." I nodded slowly and he looked up from where his hand was tracing patterns along the hem of my shirt, twisting and releasing the fabric in rapid succession.
"Alright as in you could make that out, or alright as in-"
"Yes I'll move in." A smile crossed his face, causing his eyes to light up as he leaned forward and proceeded to kiss me breathless all over again.
"Are you sure? I mean, I know your family is-"
"Bobby, it's not the fifties anymore." I spoke dryly, a smile crossing my face. "As long as you don't expect me to vacuum in pearls – or at all really I hate vacuuming – we'll be fine. My Mom already loves you anyway. And my Dad does whatever my Mom tells him to."
His eyes met mine as he nodded slowly, and they traveled over my face intently. As if he were trying to imprint this moment on his mind, filing it away for future reference. I watched him as he watched me and my heart constricted at the look in his eyes. I took a breath, and it hitched in my throat – pausing there and getting stopped by the sheer intensity that was present in his eyes. My heart started racing, foolishly wanting to believe it was love written there- and maybe it was. He looked like he was about to say something, but the spell was broken by the growling that came from his stomach and I giggled softly, glancing down and then at the table.
"You're right- let's eat." My voice was soft in the silence of the room and his grip tightened on me for a moment as if he didn't want to let go, and I held my breath praying silently that he wouldn't. His hands slid along my skin as I slipped away, taking the moment along with with me and leaving me with a sharp sense of disappointment in it's wake.