Chapter 21

When the day was over, Alex went one way, and Bobby the other. For once, she was glad he didn't come home.

Alex changed into yoga pants and a t-shirt, surprised to find that the pants were a little snug. She ran her hand inside the waistband, quietly caressing the reason for it, and wishing like hell she could have a drink.

Alex poured herself a glass of juice and went to the couch. She finally let herself go back over the events of the day, and in the safety of her home, she let her defenses down.

The drive by had been scary. Thinking on it now, Alex thought it was a miracle that she hadn't taken a bullet. She'd been standing right next to the shopowner, after all. And Logan, too. He'd been right behind her. Instead, the bullets had riddled the stock shelves as the detectives hit the deck, sending cardboard and bits of tobacco fluttering through the air.

She'd tended Giraldi, and Mike had cleared the scene. She'd followed the bus to the hospital, and interviewed Giraldi's daughter. Logan stayed behind investigating, caught a ride back with the uniforms. They'd only just debriefed when Bobby had returned from the library.

She sighed, thinking of how poorly things had gone with Bobby. She knew he'd only been worried about her, and about the baby, but to her way of thinking, he had no right to be so angry about it.

And the fact he accused her of being selfish! Alex guzzled down the rest of the juice and wished again she was allowed something stronger.

Maybe being with Bobby was a mistake. Maybe he could never change enough.

"Haven't seen you in a while," the barkeep said, sliding a tumbler and a bottle in front of Bobby.

Bobby reached into his wallet and paid for the bottle right away. He grunted something the bartender's way. He wasn't in any mood to talk. Goren settled in for a long night of staring at the imperfections in the wood in the bar top. It was easier than studying the imperfections in himself.

She awoke at 6 a.m., and he'd still not returned home. Screw it, she thought, and screw him if he couldn't figure it out by now.

Alex got ready for work and put on her thick skin along with her makeup. She would do her job, and nobody would ever have a clue what was going on in her personal life.

"And I swear to God, I heard him say something like 'my baby.'" Browning looked to his partner.

"Eames having his baby? C'mon, Browning, that's a stretch, isn't it? And what's his beef with Logan, anyway?"

They paused in their conversation long enough to watch Goren walk by. He looked like hell. He was unshaven, his hair was a mess, and his face was like a poster for exhaustion. He went to his desk, gathered up his binder and a few books, and retreated to an interview room, where he drew the blinds.

"Damn. Maybe you're right." Browning's partner said, pondering. "But then again, Goren comes in like that three times a month, it could be anything."

They paused again as Eames walked by. She looked the same as always. She took up residence at her computer and checked her phone messages while she waited for the computer to start up. She didn't even look for Bobby.

"Trouble in paradise," was all Browning said.

"Hey," Mike said, and there was a lot more in his eyes than in his words.

"Hi, Mike," Alex said quietly.

"You okay?" He shrugged, "I mean, after all that… yesterday?"

"Yeah. You?"

Another shrug. "Yeah." Mike looked over his shoulder, at Goren's empty desk, and then craned his neck in the direction of the interview room. "Him?"

Alex stiffened. She couldn't talk about Bobby, not here, at work. "I don't know," she admitted, and her eyes pleaded with Mike to drop it.

He seemed to understand. "I… uh, I got a report back on the drive-by. Car was registered to a little old lady in the Bronx."

"Somehow I don't think she was the one shooting at us."

He grinned. "Yeah. Me either."

"Hey." She stood in the doorway, unwilling to set foot in the room without good reason.

Bobby looked up. He looked like hell.

"Logan got a run on the car. It was 'borrowed' from the granny of one of our suspects. We should… check it out."

Without a word, Bobby packed up his books and closed his binder. He followed her out of the room.

They remained completely silent until they were both closed into the SUV, doors locked, windows up, and seatbelts clicked into place. Eames turned over the engine, but didn't move it out of Park.

"I… I don't know what to say," Bobby offered. He knew she was sick of his apologies, and he knew he shouldn't have stayed away last night.

"I don't, either."

An awkward silence. "Are you… okay?" He asked, earning an exasperated look.

"I guess that depends on what you mean by 'okay.'"

"I mean you, and the baby, you're okay."

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Good. I'm glad for that."

Shaking her head, Alex threw the car into reverse and pulled out of the parking spot. She navigated slowly through the garage and out into the street. "Bobby, I thought we could do it, but I don't know. I don't think this is working. For either of us."

He stared at the dash, wondering how she could concentrate on driving at the same time she broke up with him. Then he bobbed his head in a slow nod as he realized she'd been thinking about it for a long time. "Yeah. I get that."

Her jaw muscle tensed and she held back the painful grimace that was fighting to pass over her face. Alex swallowed hard, and soon, her face was like stone.

"I'll uh, I guess I'll stay with Lewis a while…" Bobby had only just sublet his apartment. It had only been a month, and without Alex, he was homeless.

She turned and her voice was strained, but she managed to say, "you can… take some time to… move… I can stay with Liz… or Johnny…"

"No. You, and the baby, that's your place. I'll be fine, Alex."

On that sentiment, she parked the car. They got out, and quietly headed in the direction of the apartment.