Chapter 21
When the car wouldn't start, Alex cursed aloud. She looked around. It was already dark outside, but the weather was nice. She checked that the space she was in was still legal in the morning and decided to leave it there. She pumped the meter full, took her purse, and started walking.
Seeing a crowd spilling into the street near one of the night clubs, she decided to cut around through an alley to get past. Alex slipped between the buildings and emerged near a dumpster. As she walked around the edge of the dumpster, she was stopped by a hard push to the chest.
"Detective," the man snarled.
Alex squinted, trying to force her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the back alley. "Dirk?"
He landed a punch on her sore jaw before she could make her move. Alex staggered back, reaching for her weapon. He kicked her hand and it skidded across the pavement into the darkness. He grabbed her roughly and threw her down, making it a point to mash her face against the pavement. She rolled back and forth under his attack, trying to protect the baby from his kicks and punches. Finally, he took her purse and ran off, leaving her there to writhe in pain.
Bobby was pacing the floor by the time his cell phone rang. He snatched it up, didn't recognize the number. "Goren," he said, and his face grew pale as he listened. "She's pregnant," he blurted, then listened again. "Yeah, I—I'll be right there."
He quickly grabbed his things and ran out the door and down the steps. He hailed a taxi.
He raced to the front desk. "I'm looking for Alexandra Eames," he said. "She was in the ER, uhm, 30 minutes ago."
They typed her name in the computer and then looked up at him. "You're next of kin?"
"Yeah," he said, not caring to give the details.
"Third floor, room, 311." She looked up at him. "Take this set of elevators, and take a right when you get off."
"Thanks," he said, and jogged to the elevators, where he was forced to pace until the doors opened.
He found the room with no problem. She looked like she was sleeping. Bobby's heart was in his mouth as he stepped lightly into the room. Alex turned her head. He rushed in, carefully took her in his arms. She cried, and he tried hard not to.
"The baby?" he asked, afraid to hear what she might say.
Alex gulped back a sob. "There's some bleeding… we have to wait and see…"
He held her and stroked her hair. "It's okay," he whispered. "It'll be okay," he said, willing it to be true. His cell phone rang. He set Alex down gently against the pillow and reached in his pocket. "Captain," Bobby said. "I'm at the hospital now." Alex held his other hand tightly. "Okay for now," he said, swallowing back tears. He hung up, looked at his love. Her face was black, blue, red, and purple. Her arms and hands were just as badly bruised.
"We'll be all right, Alex," he whispered.
Ross and Dawes knocked on the door of the room. Bobby got up to answer it, leaving Alex sleeping in the bed. They stood in the doorway a moment, looking at her, and then Bobby gestured for them to step out into the hall.
The Captain spoke first. "They just found her purse with her ID badge inside. That's how we found out."
Bobby threw Dawes a hateful look. "She knows who did it, Captain. It was Dirk deSilva, the one that led the attack against Mike."
Ross looked at Dawes. "I'll go pick him up," she said.
"You do that," Bobby called angrily after her. His face was turning red, and his fists were clenching. Logan arrived and joined the group, Carolyn hovering near his side.
"Goren," Ross spoke. "I already spoke with Dawes. They'd finished for the night. She split from Eames an hour before the attack. We don't know why Eames was in that alley, but it had nothing to do with the job."
Bobby's face still twisted, trying to make sense of what he knew and force his emotions to take a back seat.
"Your place is with Eames," Ross continued. "If I find out you are gone from her side longer than it takes to take a piss, I'll put a watchdog on you." He spared a quick glance at Logan. "We'll handle it. We'll get him." Ross turned and joined Dawes, who was waiting down the hall. As they left, Mike shared a knowing look with Carolyn, then put his hands on Bobby and guided him back into Alex's room.
She slept now, and Bobby allowed Mike to sit him back down in the chair beside her. Mike was saying something, Bobby really had no idea what. Something in his tone was calming. At some point, Mike left, and Bobby and Alex were alone.
He lifted the blanket and sheet and inspected every visible inch of her. Her bruises told the story. The pain he felt shared a place in his heart with the pride that she'd sacrificed herself to protect their child. Replacing the blanket, he kissed an unbruised spot on her forehead, settled back into the chair, and began to shake.
John Eames drew in a long, slow breath when he saw the bruises on his baby girl. He saw Bobby get up and offer him the chair at her side. Eames sidestepped his way to her side, and Bobby steadied him as he sank into the chair. Tears filled his eyes, and he spared a glance at Bobby before one slipped down his cheek.
Bobby's jaw twitched. He whispered, "It looks like the baby's okay. Alex will heal, it'll just take time."
John nodded and forced himself to stop crying. He cleared his throat. "It's just… hard to see her like this," he said quietly.
Bobby nodded. He knew that too well. He held out his hand, and hesitated, but finally rested it on the older man's shoulder.
Soon after the arrival of her father, the rest of the Eames troops arrived. Bobby stepped outside and leaned against the wall in the hallway while they took turns in her room.
"You eat anything yet?"
Bobby's eyes moved down to the source of the voice. Johnny, Eames' little brother. "No," Bobby replied.
"C'mon," he said, leading the way down the hall to the elevators. "Dad told me about the baby." He spoke as they went through the cafeteria line. The place was nearly empty, only a handful of hospital staff and a skeleton crew working the kitchen. "Thank God," he said.
Bobby was thankful, too. He nodded and followed the smaller man. He tried to pay for Johnny's meal, but he wouldn't hear of it.
As they sat down across from each other, Johnny glanced around nervously. "Look, Bobby, I just want you to know… we're glad you're with Alex. Me and Dad, we talked about it. She needs you. She's always happier when she's around you." He grinned, "Well, except for that time when she was so pissed…"
Bobby chuckled, remembering the day in question. It was supposed to be dinner with her family, and Bobby had tried everything possible to get out of it. When he'd finally arrived, late, Alex was so mad she'd told him to leave.
"And Liz and Mel… hell, even the kids like you."
"The kids?" Bobby asked.
"Well, you know, they don't say much, so when they do, we really pay attention," Johnny explained.
"Thanks," Bobby said quietly. "You know, my family… was nothing like yours."
"Yeah, Alex told me some of it." He took a drink and smiled. "What I'm saying… just relax when you're with us. You're welcome."
The next day, Bobby dozed in the chair as Alex received her visitors. First it was just family, then Logan and Barek. Now Ross and Dawes. Bobby shook himself awake, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He still couldn't get past being angry with Dawes.
"How are you," Ross asked her cordially.
"Great," she snarked. "I think I'll go out dancing."
Ross smiled uncomfortably. He looked back at Dawes. "We got him. We brought him in this morning. Andy got a confession out of him."
Alex stared at Bobby as he processed the information. "Captain, Andy, can we have a moment?" Bobby's eyes met hers quickly.
Ross and Dawes stepped outside. Alex waited for the heavy door to shut before speaking. She held up a hand, and Bobby squeezed it gently. "You're blaming her."
He looked at the floor. His jaw twitched.
"Why, Bobby? Why?"
"If I had been there," he began quietly.
"You wouldn't have been there, either. I'd told her good night already."
"Why, Alex? What were you doing over there?"
"I saw an ad for a crib. I stopped by the place to have a look at it."
"And the car… you should have called," he said.
"You're right. I should have."
A single tear fell, and Bobby wiped it on his sleeve. "You're going to have to stop blaming Andy."
He glanced around the room, then gave her a quick nod. "I'll… uh, go and…" he let go her hand and went back to the door, letting them in.