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He wiped the tears with his good hand. He hated crying in front of others. It made him feel weak. Of course, Eames never gave him any notion that he was.

"Bobby, thanks for sharing that with me. I know you don't like to share about your mother but it means a lot that you would trust me with that." Eames thought about him sharing with her and even though she had to pry a bit before he told her what he was dealing with, sharing this information with her let her know that maybe he was tearing down some of those walls that kept him guarded.

"I can't imagine what you've been going through all this time with your mother and then this. This has to have been tearing you up inside."

"It wasn't easy."

"No, I imagine not."

"Have you told anyone else?" She gently inquired as she knew he didn't easily disseminate personal information to anyone. It took years before she started to get any background on his mother or some antidotes of life growing up. She understood once he started opening up why he kept that information close to chest. She didn't pity him ever but her heart broke for him. It seemed the universe was hellbent of dumping on him once more. It wasn't fair and she was angry for him.

"About what he did to my mom, only you. You are the only one I trust with that information." He spoke with affection and intimacy as he let her know her worth to him. She had become one of the most important people in his life that balanced him and kept him from destroying himself. He relied on her more than he cared about to admit. He felt dependent on her presence yet he played fast and loose about when he let her in and pushed her away and he could tell that she was becoming more than a little fed up about it. If he thought about it more than just upset, but hurt and he never wanted to hurt her but it was so difficult maintaining his vulnerability for too long. It was scary and uncertain and he didn't do well with uncertain.

"Thanks. But Bobby, that's a lot to hold in. You know that. It'll keep catching up with you. You have to find some way to keep it from tearing you up inside, working through it or unleashing safely. This isn't going to hold up as a long term solution."

He nodded but didn't speak. He could understand what she meant as he could almost guarantee that his negative cooping habits would eventually undo his ability to function on a long term basis not to mention the effect it had on his emotional well being but he hadn't figured out any long term plan. He had been just trying to survive.

He had sat back by the dining table and she had joined him. She expected more-more anger, more pain, more lashing out at her but perhaps that was why he pushed her away, so that he could unleash all of that without hurting her and then be able to be at a place to talk about it. She realized she didn't have to push him that hard this time so he had actually been wanting to tell her. She could see his struggle to try and be the person he figured she wanted him to be and the unease it cause him to be open to her. She didn't doubt he trusted her. She knew that with complete certainty but she also knew he had a lot of pain and bad habits that would make their relationship difficult and frustrating at times. She didn't not go into this relationship expecting complete ease and openness from him. She expected a struggle but also hoped that with time things would get easier for him.

"How was it hearing this from her, your mom?"

"Agony," more than agony. It broke every piece of him mentally and still tortured him internally. "Part of me knew already. She just confirmed it but part of me wanted for it to be untrue and just a leap of error."

"She knew you knew. She read you."

"I'm guessing I'm an easy read then."

"No, I wouldn't say that but it's easier when it's someone who loves you," She smiled lovingly. "She did. In her own way, she loved you and maybe being honest to you was her way of showing you that. Of course that doesn't make it easy for either of you." She clasped his hands in hers as she tilted her head like Goren would with a suspect but her maneuver was softer and more intimate as she caught his eyes.

There was a change in his demeanor. She could see him calculating something in his head. With Goren, the smallest thing could be analyzed to shreds or the smallest piece of information could be extracted and then blown up. It didn't take much. Right now, she couldn't figure out what he was thinking but she could tell it was something that was bothering him.

"What?" Eames spoke as she saw the wheels turning reflected in his eyes and felt him pull away mentally.

"Nothing." He folded his hands, rose from his chair, and backed away nervously.

"You know I can tell when you are in your mind. So spill it."

"Alex..."

"Yes."

"Do you ever wonder if we made the right decision?"

"Getting together?"

"Yeah."

"I think it was inevitable."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"You want to know if I think we made a mistake? Do you?"

"I asked you first."

"I thought you said you knew how I felt about you?" She was annoyed but neither raised their voices. They spoke softly and with matter of fact.

He looked up at her, regret in his eyes. He noted that she had been crying earlier when he saw her mouth twitch as she tried to regain composure and stave off tears. Her eyes were slightly puffy but not red.

"I can't be your first choice. Clearly you had other interests. You are beautiful, smart, and caring."

She closed the distance between them.

"I am." She grabbed his hands in hers, "I'm also, very much, in love with you."

He closed his eyes as he took in how her hands on his could render him speechless and simultaneously send his mind spinning in circles. "I-I, uh,..." he began to stammer.

She put her finger to his lips and then removed it and kissed him passionately. Her hand slipped behind his neck as she pulled him closer to him. She broke the kiss leaving him eyes closed and hungry for more affection. "Stop thinking." She grabbed his hand and placed it over her heart, "What do you feel?" She kissed him again. "This. Is. Real."

"But, I can't see how this could be what you want."

"And why is that?"

"I can't help but let you down."

"Not always. Sometimes you surprise me and impress me quite a bit."

"I-Wha-But-." He was stammering again. He could not get it words out. Why would she be okay with what little I can offer her? How can she be satisfied with the pain I cause her and how I shut her out and devalue her. No one in their right mind would...I want to do the right thing.

"What can I do to shut that critical voice in your mind?"

Eyes closed, he smiles. "Kiss me again."

She pushes him down on the couch and straddles him in a sitting position on top of him and grabs his hand to place it over her chest and kisses him again. She moans slightly in his mouth and she kisses him some more. She manages to tear herself away and breathlessly asks. "Have I got your attention or are you still listening to that other voice?"

He pulls her down and kisses her mouth.