Part 22

"She's pretty."

Bobby froze, looking over to where Matt Graham was holding Alex. Matt's arm was around her neck, holding the gun to her temple. The other arm was around her waist. Her hands and feet had been bound together and she stood awkwardly.

And she was pissed.

"You do fast work, Graham," Bobby said.

"I do what I can. Now, drop your gun."

Bobby's eyes met Alex's. Slowly he started putting the gun down. "You know that Jessie has already been arrested. The Fed's are taking care of her."

"Just because they got her, doesn't mean they'll get me."

"And they have all of your drugs."

"You think I only have them stored here? I'm not stupid, Detective Goren."

"Let Detective Eames go. If you do anything to her, there will be cops crawling up your ass to kill you."

"Not a pretty picture. But still not going to bother me. Kick the gun over here."

Bobby took a deep breath and kicked. His eyes still locked onto Alex's.

He had a gun in his ankle holster. He hadn't told Alex about that one. But by the time he grabbed it, Matt would have shot Alex and then…and then Bobby wouldn't care what happened to him.

Bobby needed a distraction.

And he wondered where the hell the Feds were.

He took a deep breath. "Okay, you know what, Matt? I'm gonna beg you. Please let Alex go."

Matt tut-tutted. "Having sex with the partner? So tacky."

Bobby gulped, trying to conceal his rage. Rushing at Matt Graham now would not help Alex.

"So what? It's still good. And I don't want to lose that."

He could almost feel Alex's arched eyebrow. She was so going to slug him for that comment later.

Well…maybe not the 'not wanting to lose it' part.

"Goren, stop trying to get me to let her go. It's not going to happen. You just stay there. Your partner is my ticket out of here."

Bobby watched in distress as Matt started backing up. Alex was looking at him, as if she was asking him to get her out of this mess.

He could have sunk to the ground and given thanks when he heard the "FBI! FREEZE! PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN NOW!"

Matt's head turned just enough for Bobby to pull his other gun out of its holster. He clicked it, pointing it at Matt's head.

"I've got a really good shot here, Graham. Want to take the chance?"

Matt Graham turned back around to face him. He knew he was cornered. He pushed Alex away from him, dropping his gun, putting his hands in the air.

Bobby advanced up to him, sending a punch to Matt's jaw that laid him out on the ground. Alex squirmed on the ground, trying to get her binds undone.

"Bobby, a little help here?"

There was no reply as Bobby decided to exact his own judgment on Matt Graham. Fists flew as the two men battled it out.

Alex's eyes widened, and she put up a hand to stop the FBI agents who were making their way to break the two up.

When she saw Matt Graham starting to falter, she felt it was time to step in.

"Bobby."

No answer.

"Bobby!"

Still no answer. Matt Graham was grasping at Bobby, trying to get out of the situation.

"Goren!" she said, in her pissed off voice.

Bobby let the man fall back and he got up, going to his partner.

"Alex…" His eyes ran over her, followed by his hands, making sure that she was still in one piece.

"I'm fine, Bobby," she whispered. "My head hurts a little, but I'm fine."

His arms went around her in a tight hug. "Alex."

She rested her head against him, hugging him back with a smile.

Rachel and Jack came upstairs, having passed off Matt and Jessie to the other Feds. They glanced at each other, wondering if they should break the moment.

Particularly since Mike Connors was on his way up.

"Uh, Detective Goren? Detective Eames?" Jack finally broached.

Alex's head lifted up from where it rested against Bobby. "Yeah?"

"Mike Connors is on his way up," Rachel said. "He'll want to talk about sending you back to New York."

Hearing the name of the FBI agent, Bobby disentangled himself from Alex and went outside, without saying a word. Alex arched an eyebrow.

"Do you want me to go and see what the problem is?" Jack asked.

Putting up a hand, Alex shook her head. "I'll go."


Not finding him outside, Alex made her way back to their house. Well, not really their house anymore. She didn't like that thought.

She found Bobby in the bedroom, furiously stuffing his clothes back into his suitcase.

"Eager to get away from me so soon?"

Bobby glanced up at her for a second, before resuming his task. "Connors will want us debriefed and Deakins will want us back in New York."

"Wow." Alex stood there, watching him. "That was blunt. And avoiding the question."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Are you throwing this away?"

"We're partners."

Alex sat down on the bed. "We're more than that now."

Bobby ran his hands through his hair. "I know."

"Then why are you acting as if nothing happened?"

"We have to go back to New York."

"I'm aware of that."

"We're partners."

"In more ways than one. Bobby, I know all this. Where are you going with it?"

"I can't lose you as a partner, Alex. We've seen what happens there."

"I know, I know. Bishop thought you'd lost your mind." She put her hand on his chest. "I have no intention of leaving the job."

"Deakins isn't going to like having two cops together that are dating."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't intend on going in there on Monday morning and saying 'Morning Cap, Goren and I have been having the most incredible sex and we plan to keep on doing it regularly?'"

Bobby's mouth turned up in a small smile.

"We don't have to tell anyone, Bobby. Not until we're good and ready." Alex took a step closer, until she was around his height. She was glad he was sitting down. "I don't want this to be over."

Bobby watched her for a moment, his hand resting on her cheek. "Neither do I."

Alex rested her hand atop his. "Then we're agreed? We don't end it."

Bobby nodded. "We don't end it."

They shared a kiss, Alex finding it much more comfortable to sit in Bobby's lap.

The kiss deepened and Bobby's arms moved to encircle her waist.

"Goren? Eames?"

The couple broke apart upon hearing Connor's voice.

"Damn Feds," Bobby grumbled.

Alex got up, tugging on his hand. "Come on. Let's go get debriefed. The sooner we get that done, the sooner we can go home. To bed."

Bobby grinned as he watched her saunter out of the room. "I'm all for that."

FINIS