Title: Ghosts

Author: ANNE (the insane one)

Rating: R

Summary: After a case gets really nasty, Bobby and Alex are sent away from New York to a safe house. Being in such close quarters opens the door wide for past lives and present feelings to come spilling out.

Disclaimer: Characters et al belong to the people that make Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

Thanks to Maddy for betaaing.

1

Alex Eames felt her mouth drop as she stared at the cottage. "Wow."

Bobby Goren cocked his head to one side. "Certainly bigger than I expected."

"It's beautiful though," Alex murmured.

The rambling cottage was two stories, a light cream color with blue accents. The garden had obviously been tended, as various different colors and varieties of flora decorated the recently mown lawn and garden.

Bobby watched curiously as Alex twisted the gold band around her ring finger. "You look uncomfortable."

"I'm fine," she replied, stopping the movement. "Just feels weird that's all."

"Weird to have one there again?"

Alex's head snapped up to look at him. She hadn't realized he knew about her first husband. "Um…yeah, I guess." Desperate to change the subject, she picked up her bags. "Well, we better get started on unpacking."

Bobby looked at her for a moment, but finally nodded. He was never very good with heart to hearts, although this one may have been sorely needed.

It could wait till he had a good Scotch settling in his stomach.

For Alex's part, her insides were still in turmoil over the past few days. Two cops close to cracking a case and bam, stuffed into Witness Protection as a married couple. With her partner. A man with so many secrets inside him. And she was supposed to be married to him.

She stared at the gold band on her finger and frowned. Again. A married couple. Yeah, she had practice at that. A married couple for three years was a little harder. A writer who also worked with the local youth group was way out of her depth.

And she thought she had loved undercover.

"Uh…Alex?"

She turned around, seeing Bobby at the door, cases in hand. "Yeah?"

"The master bedroom is down the hall."

She blinked. "I thought you'd like it."

He arched an eyebrow. "It's a nice bedroom, but I wasn't looking at décor."

Alex was confused for a moment, before understanding that he too was confused. "I meant that I thought you'd like to stay in there."

"I'm happy to stay wherever you want to stay."

"Huh?"

Bobby held up his hand, the gold band glittering in the sunlight. "We're supposed to be married, Alex. If someone comes in the house and sees us sleeping in two different rooms…"

"You want us to sleep together?" Alex paused after her comment. That hadn't come out as she had expected.

"Well, no. I mean, yes, but…" Bobby ran a hand over his face. "We should at least share the same room."

Alex looked at her open suitcase and she shut it again. "Let's go then."


Bobby surveyed the pantry of the house. He was going to cook Alex dinner. She looked a little washed out after she had unpacked, so he suggested she go lie down.

He found the makings for pasta and began setting the ingredients out on the table. He was almost ready to start cooking when Alex wandered into the room, sleepy-eyed and a little disheveled.

Bobby had never seen her more beautiful.

"Hi," he smiled.

"Hi," she replied. "You're cooking dinner?"

He nodded. "I like to cook. It's lucky, since I live by myself."

Alex nodded. "Nice to have a gourmet around."

Bobby chuckled. "I wouldn't call myself a gourmet."

"By the smell of that pasta, I would," Alex informed him. "Want some wine, Ben?"

Bobby looked at her, confused.

"You were the one who said we should sleep together. I think we should get used to our names, as well."

Bobby finally nodded. "Okay, A...Emily."

Alex smiled and handed him a glass of wine. "Better."

When dinner was ready, Bobby brought the plates into the dining room, as Alex followed him with the wine. They sat down across from each other.

"What shall we drink to?" Alex asked.

"How about…a successful time in Witness Protection?"

Alex nodded and they clinked glasses before turning to their dinner.

Dinner was a quiet affair, both concentrating on the new situation.

"Ben?" Alex asked, finally broaching the subject?"

"Yeah?"

"We should…we should talk about our story, don't you think? If people ask?"

Bobby nodded. "Okay. I was thinking we should just go with the truth. Apart from being in law enforcement. It's the first marriage. We have no children."

Alex fingered her wine glass. "Second," she murmured softly.

Bobby looked up at her. "Right. Second. I'm sorry."

Alex shrugged. "Don't be. We weren't married for a long time."

"You miss him," Bobby murmured.

"Of course I miss him. I miss him every day," Alex snapped. She paused for a minute, looking down at her hands. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Bobby assured her. "I shouldn't have pried."

Alex looked up at him. "It's hardly prying Bo…Ben." She sighed. "You're going to have to know if it's brought up."

"What was his name?"

She paused for a moment. "David."

"What did he do?"

Alex looked up, her eyes meeting his. "He was a cop."

Bobby's eyes widened. "A cop?"

Her eyes hardened. "Yes, a cop." Finishing her wine, she stood up. "I'm going to bed. It's been a long day."

Bobby noticed the quick change of subject. "He died in the line of duty?"

"Bobby…I mean Ben, let's just drop this for now, okay?"

Bobby folded his arms. "You started this, Emily."

"And I'm ending it." She stacked the dishes in the dishwasher. "Goodnight."

He watched, confused and intrigued as she went down the hallway to the room they were sharing.

Shaking his head, he went into the den, turning on the TV and tuning it into a ball game. Women.


Bobby made his way into the bedroom that he and Alex were going to be sharing and his breath hitched in his throat.

Alex lay sleeping on the bed, her honey-blonde hair fanned out around her. A New York Yankees sweatshirt that had originally fallen to her legs, now rode up just over her thigh.

He felt the familiar tightening in his pants and he quickly grabbed his boxers, heading into the bathroom.

It was going to be a long night