Note: Not Beta'd, This takes place during untethered. For the most part its directly like it appeared in the show with some of their thoughts thrown in.


Outside of One Police Plaza

Eames was in a mood. She woke up without coffee and had a bunch of missed calls first thing in the morning. She had sent a message to Goren to get her some coffee. They had been taking some time to focus on their own interest and lives which meant they were spending less time together but both felt good about it as it felt like a natural balance. Right about now she wished Goren was over to get her out of this funk although with him it could really go either way. He can simultaneously be the reason for her smile and the headache. When he responded, he seemed chipper which made her roll her eyes. Of course he is.

She quickly sent him a thank you text and got in her car. As she was about to text him that she was on her way, he texted her back with ways she could really thank him. He is gonna have to do a lot more than coffee for what he is asking. She chuckled to herself, a massage for one would tip things into his favor.

She arrived at the precinct and got out of her car. She threw her messenger bag over her head and shoulder and hurried ahead until she is stopped by a familiar voice calling her name.

"With any luck you don't remember me."

"I know who you are."

"Last time I saw you, I was on the soup line. Not my best moment."

"What about the last time I didn't see you, at your mother's funeral?" She remembered how broken Bobby was and how he tried to get Frank there for his mother and the disappointment on his face yet again when he didn't show up. He had some nerve coming back around here after that.

"Yeah. I started using again the day she died. It took me a while to hit bottom, and I don't know, found my way back to church. My higher power was looking out for me."

Always an excuse. I need to cut through his bullshit. I don't have time for this.

"How long have you been waiting out here, Frank? About a half hour? Because Bobby goes to work before I do, which means you saw him, and you were waiting for me. Thanks."

She shook her head. Great. I don't want to be a part of any scam Frank's cooked up, especially if it's going to hurt Bobby. She turns to walk away but Frank catches up to her.

"Bobby's written me off." She smiles. Bobby finally came to his senses. Good.

"I need his help."

"I can't do that."

"I have a son...He's in trouble. It's a police matter, Bobby can help."

"I'm not getting in the middle." That was going to be her final line. Then, she thought about it. Dammit. I need to let Bobby decide. If he truly has a nephew and he's in trouble, he'll be even more upset that he didn't have the opportunity to do something to help him. He would torture himself over it. "Frank wait."


One Police Plaza

Goren saw Eames arrive and he instantly had a smile on his face until he read hers.

"What's going on?"

"I spoke to Frank." she saw his face change from a pleasant to aggravated, "I know. I know. He ambushed me, I didn't seek him out but Frank says he has a son who needs your help. I figured, I let you decide how you want to deal with it."

"He has a son. Frank's a junkie, Eames. He'll say anything."

"He didn't ask for money"

"Just wait."

"For what it's worth. I don't think he's using. He looked healthy and he took responsibility for his past."

"Well Frank is not in program. He talks program," He stated at his desk as she settled in.

"I am only bringing it to because I know you, Bobby. If you had a nephew out there in trouble. I know you would kick yourself if you didn't try to help. To hell with what Frank wants, what do you want?"

"So wait you say he's downstairs," He got up quickly. Eames nods and Goren nods back seeing the sincerity in her eyes and concern for him.

"I didn't promise him anything." Eames' remark and look in her eyes reminds him that she's allied with him not his brother and whatever happens she would help him through it.

"Bet he thinks you did." She knows it's not a dig at her but frustration at Frank. She understands as she felt that same frustration for him moments ago. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you going to talk to him?" She softens her voice. He nods, grabs his jacket and proceeds to go downstairs to meet his brother. She'd give anything to go back in bed and scrap this day.


Outside One Police Plaza

Goren shifted his weight uncomfortably. He bit the inside of his cheek. He held so much anger at his brother whom he once cared for and protected and kept up to appease his mother. It frustrated him to no end that his mother preferred Frank over him. No matter how much Frank screwed up and he succeeded, his mother never saw it and blamed him no doubt. Then, when he found out that he wasn't even William's son, it all made sense why no one wanted him and why everyone was incapable of loving him. His brother, when he was around, which wasn't often, was the one person he could hold onto. Because he knew Frank needed him even though no one else would realize that tidbit of information. He couldn't rely on Frank but as long as Frank needed him, he knew he wouldn't be too far.

Of course thee one time he needed Frank to push his bullshit aside and be there for him and his mother, Frank bailed as always and got high. Eames had to help him pick up the pieces and muster strength to deal with all the decisions and grief of losing his mother that now fell onto him, the responsible one. The son who couldn't run away and escape. The first utterance from his mouth was that he needed his help once again. No apology. No checking in on how he was coping. He didn't know why this surprised him. It was his MO.

"So what you'd do with it, you sell it to get your next fix?"

"Mom's ring, that's what you are upset about." No that's not what I'm upset about but it's the one tangible thing I can focus on right now. The one way I can unleash my anger that I put aside to help you all the time.

Frank rubbed his face in frustration.

He has the audacity to be frustrated with me. I was there for mom in her last days where he could disappear and get away from it all. How dare he be frustrated with me!

"Look, she gave me the ring."

"She'd never give you her engagement ring. She knew you'd sell it" Maybe she didn't but I knew. She was still in denial hoping you'd do great things. Part of her delusional state, he thought. Giving you the ring fits everything I know about mom and it angers me to no end. That ring should have been mine, something to hold onto.

"That's why she gave it to me. Mom knew I needed money. Every time I go to see her, she'd slip me a twenty like I was a teenager."

He couldn't hold back his anger any more. He tried to bite his cheek to hold it back but instead wiped his mouth and unleashed a little.

"Yeah. Every Time? What'd that come out to, like, forty bucks." Like he was ever there for her. Mom called out for him in her dying days and he couldn't even be there for her funeral.

"You're angry. I deserve it."

Damn right you do.

"But he doesn't. That's your nephew, Donny. He lived in Pennsylvania with his mom." Frank shows him a picture of Donny.

"This is your son?"

"Yeah."

"He doesn't look like you," Bobby replied with a smirk that he saw through his bullshit.

"No he doesn't. He looks like you."

Classic manipulation. Bobby glanced at the picture again. He knew not to trust Frank but he was so desperate for family to hold onto. If this was true, and he was going to verify it, then he knew he would have to help.

"So how come you're just telling me about him now."

"I would have ruined the kid, Bobby. Now that I'm clean, his mom lets me see him."

"Did mom know about Donny?"

"I disappeared before he was born, how was I going to tell mom that?" Always selfish, thinking about himself, and maintaining that perfect son status in her eyes.

"Do you know what it would have meant to her to-to know that she had a grandson?" He shifted his weight and settled, "Alright. So"

"So?"

"Well he's in trouble. Is it drugs?"

"No. Donny doesn't use. He was riding in a car that had drugs in it and got a year for possession."

"I can't do anything in Pennsylvania."

"No. He was arrested in New York. He's at Tates Corrections. I'm okay with him doing time but the kid called me totally freaked out. He's having nightmares and I don't know what else."

"Voices or visions. If he's bipolar and goes off his meds, that could give him nightmares." This was something Bobby had researched deeply. The idea of having a kid and passing this onto him was something he couldn't bring himself to do.

"Not talking about mom's thing. He's a kid. He's scared. He saw some really bad things in jail. He wants to talk to you about it, himself"

"Me. Did you tell him I was a cop?"

"I'm proud of you, Bobby." Frank placed his hand on his shoulder. Goren shrugs him off and moves his body away from him. Goren stares him down to read him. He doesn't like getting played and refuses to accept his attempts at flattery.

"What's his last name?"

"Carlson."

"So you'll go?"

"I'll look into it."

"Thanks man."

"That's all, alright," He made clear that Frank wasn't going to push past the boundary. He would do this on his terms and if it didn't pan out or anything else he could put an end to it. Goren's curiosity wouldn't allow him to say no. If this was real, he could have a nephew, someone to pass his wisdom to and tell stories and have a real chance at a loving connection with a family member that is once he was out of Jail. I guess that tracks. Gorens never have an easy go of it do they? He may have the Carlson name but he has Frank's blood in him and no doubt their bad luck, that wasn't fair to the kid. If he was, in fact, his nephew, he had to help and make up for Frank being the kid's father.


Goren left Frank and went back to his desk. He found Eames there and she pulled him aside to get another coffee to check in on him.

"How did it go?"

"Typical Frank but I don't think he's lying about having a son."

Her eyes widened a bit, "So, it's true. You may have a nephew out there?

"Yeah."

"How 'bout that. So what did he want your help with?"

"Frank said Donny, that's his name, witnessed something and is scared. I don't know, maybe I can get him transferred or investigate at least to calm his fears."

"So it's a good thing." She smiled and hugged him. "You are a good man, Bobby. He'd be lucky to have you as an uncle."

"Well, I still need to verify everything. I need to know for myself."

"I'm here for you. Anyway I can help you, I will."

"Thank you." They returned to their desks with their coffee ready to dive right in.

Goren looked up Donny's information on the database and made some follow-up calls. "Donny was arrested in Truby, New York, four months ago. Cops found Crystal Meth in the car he was riding in. Got a year and a day in Tates Corrections."

"That's tough what the driver get?"

"Tom Huffaker. He was driving drunk and has possession priors. He got time served." Eames bent over to ruffle through some notes and Goren couldn't help when his eyes drifted to her breasts and then corrected to her eyes. She had nice breasts and he was but a man. Anytime family were involved the day was bound to go to shit, his mind would rather distract himself with something more enjoyable. Must be a Goren trait. If he wasn't at work, he would definitely deflect and entertain that part of himself. He licked his lips and let a low, barely audible frustrated grunt escape his mouth.

She put her hand on her hip in a confident strut and replied, "What? He caught a break for turning on Donny." Goren looked back at the screen nodding yes. He push his desire and need for distraction aside and instead directed his attention back to the case. Internally, he cursed his need to be the responsible one in the family.

"When I called the Truby PD, they connected me to the town's supervisor's office. Harry Huffaker." He spit out in disgust.

Eames just groaned, "ugh. So Tom's dad had an in with the judge." She leaned down into his space and covered his fingers with hers briefly for support. He felt a sputter of a spark, electricity flowing through the tips of their fingers. He inhaled and made every attempt to focus himself.

"Some judge. Truby's a village with a part time-justice, Judge Clyde Averton. He's not a lawyer. He's a car dealer."

"Donny got screwed."

"Twice. Last month, he was transferred to the mental observation unit."

"Now we just need to get the Captain on board with us investigating this. It's out of jurisdiction, Bobby, so we need to play nice." She shot him a 'you better behave,' look and he acquiesced to her lead.