Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Law and Order:Criminal Intent. I don't own any characters, actually. How sad. Dick Wolf owns the wonderful Eames, Goren, Deakins, and Carver. Whilst I merely adore them.

It started out as it always did. The famous Eames and the more-famous Goren arrive on scene to discover a heinous crime. The two don't miss a beat; they take their positions for their finely choreographed routine. Detective Alex Eames, as short as her name and as powerful as her piece, takes out her memo pad and pencil, canvassing the building. Detective Robert Goren, as solid as an oak and wiser than was good for him, crouched beside the victim and asked his questions silently, with a gloved hand and a craving for understanding.

The victim this time was 23 year old Damon Sanders, an aspiring actor. From the sounds of the witnesses, he was not a popular man. "Can you think of anyone who would have wanted to hurt Damon Sanders?" Eames asked the building super. "Who the hell wouldn't want to hurt Damon Sanders is a better question," he responded. Eames thanked him and joined Goren beside the body. She didn't say anything, but waited for Goren to enlighten her. He willingly began his explanation of the body.

"Handprints around the neck, the size is consistent with the other bruising," here Goren lifted the victim's shirt to reveal a bruised and somewhat bloodied torso. "But here's what killed him," pushing back the victim's long coat to reveal an almost surgical incision on the right thigh. "Femoral artery. Wallet's been taken, watch too."

"Let me guess, you don't think it's a robbery?"

"It seems a little bit of an overkill for a robbery, don't you think?" Eames merely raised her eyebrows. "We'll see what the ME says."

"In the meantime, what did you turn up?" Goren stood up from his crouching position by the body, facing Eames but not looking at her. His eyes roved non-stop around the building, coming to rest again on the body.

"Damon Sanders, actor. Everybody hates him. Lives in a studio at the top of the building."

Eames and Goren climbed the stairs silently. Eames cast a backwards glance at her partner, surprised and concerned by his silence. She didn't want to ask, but felt she had to. "Something wrong, Bobby?" He startled and looked at her unblinkingly, his gaze as intense as always. "No, Eames, nothing," he said and gave a small smile to convince her. She shook her head but continued her ascent up the stairs.