Ch. 2

After-action Report …

The team left surveillance of Basim and his lieutenants to SOG for the rest of the night. They met back up at the Hoover Building to collect their vehicles and make a tentative plan for the next day. The news that Basim and Owens were connected was a boon to the case. Two of them had more on their minds than the case.

"Alright everyone, go home, get some rest and be ready to hit the pavement again tomorrow." Jack advised, ushering them out of the bullpen. He hadn't missed the way Bobby and Tara avoided each other on the ride back to the Hoover Building. Something had happened in the parking lot of the club.

"Hey, Bobby, hold up a second?" Jack asked neutrally.

"Yeah, sure mate." He lowered himself back into his desk chair and waited until the bullpen had cleared. Only a few other agents and the janitorial staff were still in the building at three in the morning.

"I noticed something's up with you and Tara. Did you have a disagreement?" Jack perched on the edge of Bobby's desk, his tie loose and sleeves rolled up.

"Naw, mate. Tara and I are just peachy." Bobby smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Try again, Bobby. This time with the truth." It wasn't often Jack called him on something. When he did it was for his own good.

"As we were leaving the club I saw Howie in the parking lot. So, I pushed Tara up against the building and kissed her, hoping Howie would think we were just two amorous clubbers." He drew his hands down his face.

"Did she object?" Jack furrowed his brows, his mind on what might happen next, sexual harassment charges, transfer, disciplinary action, or something else.

"No, I asked and she said yes. She even kissed me back. That's not the problem. This is the second time I've kissed her."

Jack's brow shot heavenward. The second kiss? That was news to Jack.

"When was the first?"

"The Mojo Gogo concert I was supposed to take Darcy to. I took Tara instead since she's a superfan. She was all dressed up, those big eyes of hers and that shy smile, it just - happened." Bobby groaned.

"You handled it last time, what's different this time?" Jack asked, studying his best friend. He remembered how awkward he and Sue had both felt after their big kiss at the law office.

"Circumstances have changed since then. Darcy's not coming back and Tara hasn't mentioned Stanley in ages. She deserves someone who's not gone walkabout." Bobby balled up a piece of notebook paper and tossed it toward the garbage can across the room.

"Do you care about Tara?"

After a long sigh and a silence Bobby answered, "Yeah, mate, I think I do. But how much would be the better question. I don't want to hurt her and I don't want to see her hurt. At this point I don't really care if I get hurt, as long as she's happy, even without me."

He's got it BAD, Jack thought silently. He knew the feeling first hand.

"How does she feel, do you know?"

"I don't know." Bobby's hand wrapped into a fist in frustration. The whole thing made his head hurt.

"Ah, Crash, buddy." Jack could only shake his head. He didn't have any advice. How could he when he was in the same predicament with Sue? What parallels.

"I better get going, get some sleep if I'm to be worth anything at work tomorrow." Bobby shoved himself up slowly, feeling a hundred years old.

"You mean latter today," Jack quipped with a half smile.

"True," Bobby agreed, waving as he left the bullpen.