Alex studied Bobby for a moment. She was disappointed to learn of this serious lapse in judgment from him, but she couldn't be mad at him. He'd gotten drunk with the wrong person, simple as that. Odds were that Bishop had made all the overtures and that he had regretted it the next day, but tried to do the right thing by dating her for a while so she wouldn't feel used. That was the sort of thing the 'Bobby' she knew might do. In all honesty Alex didn't want to know the gritty details, and preferred to give him the benefit of the doubt.

She reached out and covered his hand with hers. "Bobby, it was a mistake, and it happened a long time ago. It is possible that it contributed to whatever sent Bishop over the edge, but a stable person doesn't commit to a life of crime and intrigue because of a failed romance."

Bobby looked at Alex. He felt a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It was a relief to find her as practically minded now as before he had confessed his love for her. He had half expected their relationship to change that favored characteristic in her personality. "I just wish I had talked to you back then, I could have used your advice."

"You could have used MY advice? Advice for the lovelorn?"

Bobby smiled now, "No, I don't mean about that, I mean my assessment of her. It seemed to me even then that she was a little emotionally immature, or unstable. It was one of the reason's I didn't give her a recommendation, but I also thought my judgment might have been confused by our affair, and I decided against mentioning it."

"And now it has come back to haunt you. What was it Sister Amelia had said to me back in Sunday school when I was a kid…? 'Be sure your sins will find you out young lady!' " Alex got up and began to clean up their plates. She took them to the sink and began to scrape the left over food into the garbage disposal; "Anyway Bobby, you could never have foreseen this…" she began.

She hadn't realized he had gotten up from the table and now he had come up behind her and was putting his arms around her waist, hugging her back against him. He leaned down, his cheek against her hair and said in a quiet voice, "Alex, what did I ever do to deserve having you in my life?"

As she put the dishes down and turned around in his arms, she said, "I don't know, a lifetime of servitude to your family?" And not waiting for a response from him she pressed her lips to his. The kiss was sensuous and lingering. For once since that first fated kiss in Bobby's apartment, neither of them felt the pressure to express 10 years of pent up desire in one stolen moment of intimacy. In all of Alex's fantasies Bobby had been the sort of gentle, deliberate lover apparently only found in Harlequin Romance novels. Now in real life he embodied just that as he slowly slid his hands over her back, then down to her waist, he moved his mouth to her neck, running the tip of his tongue slowly up to her earlobe as he worked her blouse out of the waist of her slacks. Alex ran her hands up and over Bobby's chest, mindful of the wound, and began to unbutton his shirt. Bobby lifted his head and looked down at what she was doing. She looked up at him and he smiled. Then he saw her look past him. "Camera." She said simply.

He turned and followed the direction of her gaze. "Damn. I thought they were just at the doors and windows."

"Think they are also in the bedrooms?" Bobby didn't answer but she could tell by his expression that he did. "If you bring our bags up stairs, I'll finish the dishes." She said.

He put his arms back around her and hugged her to him. "How about we take care of the dishes together, then go upstairs together." They did just that and when they went up stairs they found a single security camera had been placed in each of the rooms, high up in a corner opposite the door. "Well, at least there aren't any in the bathrooms." Bobby said.

They put their bags in adjoining rooms then went back down stairs to watch TV. "Want some more of that wine?" Bobby asked.

"That stuff was awful; aged in 'Safe House Winery' barrels behind the Seven-Eleven. But I think I saw some beer in the fridge. Will you be taking the pain killers?"

"No, I am not feeling that bad. It only hurts if I put strain on the wounds. You pick something on the TV and I'll get the beer.

When Bobby came back, Alex snuggled up on the couch with him. Finding nothing else of particular interest she left the TV on the Travel channel, on a program showcasing Castles in Great Britain. It wouldn't have mattered what channel she left it on though, since they stayed mostly focused on each other. After a couple of sips of beer they put their bottles on the coffee table and kissed, their hands exploring. "I feel like a teenager on your parents couch." Bobby said.

"More like on Hannah's couch." She nuzzled Bobby's neck.

"Mmmm...uh, yeah…he better not decide to drop by…then again, I'm not sure I'd care if he did." His hand under her blouse now, he ran it softly up her back.

Alex brought her lips back to his as she shifted around to run her own hand over his chest again. Then sitting up somewhat she said, "I wish we could just go upstairs…."

"Lets go ahead. I promise I'll behave. I just want to hold you."

"Famous last words. It's not you, it's me. I want to do much more than 'just hold you.' But I am not interested in entertaining the guards in the CCTV shack." She smiled and he pulled her down for another kiss.

After the deep and passionate kiss, Bobby said, "Lets just stay here on the couch. It's far too uncomfortable to do anything other than make out."

"Yeah." She sighed in agreement and put her head on his chest and listened to his heart. He gently stroked her hair and caressed the small of her back as she absently toyed with the hairs that curled just over his ear.

"Alex, thanks for not being mad or judgmental about, uhm…'the Bishop mistake.' " Bobby said quietly.

"We all make mistakes Bobby. What do you know of my past?" She lifted her head again and looked at him.

"Good point." He admitted. Come to think of it he knew very little of her personal life. She was surprisingly adept at separating her social life from work. "Wanna tell me about your past mistakes?"

"No. Just keep thinking I am perfect." She nuzzled his neck again, placing small kisses on his collarbone and up to the corner of his jaw line and then tracing the tip of her tongue over his ear.

"Oh yeah, you're perfect…and if you keep that up its not going to matter how uncomfortable this couch is…." He put his hands under her arms and held her as he shifted to his side and then gathered her to him. He kissed her then, another lingering kiss, just long enough to leave her wanting more as he then urged her to roll around and face away from him. "Now watch TV, and relax, and I'll rub your back and you try and sleep."

"Oh alright." She said relenting. Alex settled her head on the pillow he had curved his arm under, taking hold of his hand, she tried to do as he said and relax. It was hard to concentrate on the beautiful Castles of the U.K. while Bobby rubbed her back so she closed her eyes and thought about him; not about how much she wanted him, but on the comforting knowledge that he'd still be there when she woke up. She must have been exhausted because it worked, and Alex drifted into a deep dreamless sleep.

Sometime in the night Alex woke up. The TV was off and the only light came in through the windows from the full moon high in the night sky. She rolled over and burrowed into Bobby's embrace, putting her arms around him, breathing in the scent of him and closing her eyes, drifting back into contented sleep.

Bobby awakened before dawn, as was his habit. It took a moment for him to realize he wasn't dreaming and that Alex was really asleep in his arms. He stared into the dimly lit room, trying to remain as still as possible so as not to disturb her. He thought about Alex's quote from Sister Amelia, 'Be sure your sins will find you out…' It had bothered him at first. Alex had always been good at bringing to light his serious mistakes when he made them, not letting him ignore them, making him face up to them, then helping him to find a way to undue the damage done. But this time he couldn't regret this mistake. Not now, when he was realizing that it might have been the catalyst that had finally brought them together. After Dr. Gyson had cleared him fit for full duty, they had fallen into their same comfortable but unfulfilling routine.

They might have gone on that way forever if not for being sent on a wild goose chase after Councilman Riggs. They had both been forced to face the very real possibility of loosing the other. It was also true that his mistake had put them in some danger. Of course he didn't care for himself, but for Alex. There was never a time when he wouldn't move heaven and earth to protect her. Now, it was imperative that he bring this 'game' Bishop was playing to a quick and decisive end. Hannah had tasked them specifically with tracing her work history since leaving Major Case, not an easy thing to do with the NYPD databases inaccessible. It would have to be done on foot, precinct to precinct. Yesterday Mike had told Bobby of his theory about Bishop watching Alex only to get to him. Today he was going to have to separate himself from Alex. She wasn't going to like it. In fact he didn't much like the thought of it himself. But it had to be done, because he had some leads of his own he wanted to chase down. He would have to orchestrate another partner switch.

The dawning light of the rising sun had slowly begun to light the room and Bobby looked down at Alex. She looked so peaceful, so vulnerable, and so beautiful. He gently brushed the hair back from her face. She stirred slightly. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear, then whispered, "Alex, sweetheart, time to wake up." She stirred again, this time rolling back slightly and opening her eyes.

She smiled sleepily. "Good morning."

"Good morning." He replied, then leaned down and kissed her lightly, not certain she'd care much for the taste of morning breath.

Alex buried her face in his shoulder again. "Gosh I must look dreadful." She said, her voice muffled against him.

He moved her away from he so he could look at her and said, "You're beautiful in the morning…remember when I came to the hospital right after you gave birth? Yeah, you looked pretty rough then…." He was grinning, trying not to laugh.

"Ah geez Bobby, thanks for reminding me!" She pushed away from him and sat up with her back to him.

His hand on her shoulder kept her from getting up from the couch. "Alex, you can't leave me." She looked over her shoulder at him. "I can't move. I'm all stiff from sleeping on this couch. I need your help."

She narrowed her eyes. "Hmm. Serves you right for that last remark!"

That familiar 'lost puppy dog' expression came over him and he said, "I'm sorry." But she could see he was still fighting to keep from smiling.

Alex stood up and turned around, "Ok, give me your hand." She helped him up. He really had been stiff. She could see actual pain in eyes as he pulled himself up with her help. Now sitting at the edge of the couch he rubbed his leg over the place where the wound was. She reached down and picked up the leg brace he had taken off the night before, and helped him put it on, then helped him to his feet. Together they went upstairs and took their bags to the two separate bathrooms to get ready for the day.

Afterward, as they finished breakfast, there was a brief knock at the front door and then they heard Hannah call from the entry, "Hello, ready to go?" He walked into the kitchen as Alex got up from the table and began to collect their dishes. "Well, isn't this cozy?" Hannah said.

Alex set a coffee cup on the table. "Have a seat Captain." She poured coffee into it, then freshened hers and Bobby's cups. "It'll take a minute to clean up the dishes. You might as well get comfortable."