Bobby looked back at Alex, then to Deakins. The look on Bobby's face said it all. "Let me know by tomorrow," replied Deakins to Bobby's unspoken words.
Bobby and Alex left his office and went outside. They needed fresh air. Badly... "You could do well without me here," began Bobby.
"Are you kidding? I'd go nuts without you here. And you'd go crazy not being able to work," replied Alex.
"I don't know about that," said Bobby.
"Yah right- could you imagine yourself in a home setting? You'd be the classic male eating frozen waffles while I was off living your dream. You wouldn't be able to cope with it." Bobby looked beaten down and upon seeing this look Alex said quickly, "You're already a riot to be around. I would rather watch you use your intellect on perps than your own children."
"Children?"
"You know what I mean," she said tartly. "There's so much of you that wouldn't be the same without doing what you do."
"We can't stay the same forever, you know. Eventually, you're going to want change. I could just transfer back to Narcotics-"
"Goren, If I never changed jobs and I never got another partner as long as I lived I'd die the happiest woman on earth," said Alex, stopping to look him in the eyes.
Bobby smiled but Alex could tell that there was still something on his mind. They walked in silence, occasionally looking at each other, knowing that somehow it would never work out, but not fully understanding why. They rounded the block back to the entrance of One PP and once again saw that several people were giving them looks.
Bobby ignored them and saw Logan, who was walking down the stairs. "Well?" said Bobby.
"It certainly took us long enough, but we finally found every single fucking piece." He paused. "That man is a maniac."
"He's a Psychopath," corrected Bobby.
"Whatever. We found the bodies, exactly where he said they would be. P.K.'s being transferred right now."
"Good," nodded Bobby.
"Hey, you look a little distracted," said Logan. "Word in on your Psych evaluations?"
"Yah," said Bobby. The air was biting at his jacket.
"We've been given an ultimatum," finished Alex.
Logan looked a little confused. "It's a little complicated," said Alex.
"Oh…uh, ok… so are you staying together?"
"In what sense?" moaned Alex as she rubbed her head. Suddenly Logan understood.
"Ah… well," he said a little awkwardly. "I'm going to go meet Carry for coffee."
"Carry?"
"Caroline."
"Right, sorry…"
"Ok then, take it easy," he said as he headed for the door.
Alex looked at Bobby. "Coffee sounds good actually."
Alex and Bobby looked up at the sound of Deakins' voice. "Logan, come here."
He stopped and turned to face Deakins.
"Come here."
A minute or so later Logan turned from Deakins with a manila folder in hand. He dropped it into Bobby's hands with a sly grin. "Guess you don't have much of a choice now, do ya?" he said and walked away.
Bobby opened the and read aloud from a yellow sticky, "There's been another. 48th and Main. Go. Now," in Deakins' handwriting. He looked up at his Captain, whom had a knowing smiled on his face.
Alex gave him a concerned look. Bobby passed her the note and 6 photos from the envelope. Three different women, three different instruments; three different bodies, three different thefts. Alex groaned and said, "Not another one. Can't people just leave each other alone?"
Bobby took another quick glance at Deakins and hurriedly followed Alex towards the SUV without another word. Some things would just have to wait, and he finally understood why…
------- TaDa! It's finally finished! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all the reviews. How bout that Season Premier, eh? Spiffy stuff (doesn't even begin to sum it up).