Law & Order CI: Redemption Song Part Six.

A/N: You all know who you are, thanks to everyone for their kind reviews. It's been a real pleasure writing for such a fantastic audience. I'm glad everyone loves this story and I'm terribly sorry if you have all been waiting for Chapter Six impatiently. For the fans of 'Goren Withdrawals', another instalment is in the works, but to make it easier for me, I'd be interested in e-mails about the withdrawals and fanatical behaviour experienced by some of you!

Anyway, without further ado, I present chapter six of Redemption Song. For all of you who THINK you know who the murderer is... you're wrong.

The LOCI characters are owned by NBC and Dick Wolf. I own the rest. Redemption Song is owned by Stevie Wonder. Congrats to BSB for their debut at #1 in the Australian ARIA charts. Well done and what an incredible album.

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Alex parked the SUV outside headquarters at four-thirty. Bobby shrugged into his jacket and looked at her.

'You doing anything tonight?' he asked mildly. Alex blushed. Bobby grinned.

'You're going on a date, aren't you? One of those guys you met at that speed dating thing,' he laughed. Alex thumped his shoulder, causing him to wince.

'Alright, I give!' Bobby moaned. Alex nodded and got out of the car smoothly, trying to hide her blushing face. She didn't dare tell Bobby he was right.

As they made their way up to MCS, Bobby turned to Alex in the lift.

'So what's his name?' he asked inquisitively. Alex sighed.

'Bobby, I'm not playing twenty questions right now.'

'Come on, let Big Brother Bobby in on the secret.'

'Goren! It's none of your business!'

The pair stepped out of the elevator, squabbling like children. Maria looked up from her laptop.

'Hey, you two! Over here!' she shouted, flagging the arguing partners down. Bobby walked over in a dramatic huff, while Alex had her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

'What have you got for us?' Goren asked, leaning against her desk. Maria tapped at her keyboard.

'Well, I didn't find much, but I dug up the legal files on Rogers' lawsuits,' she replied, clicking open a file on the left-hand side of the screen. Goren frowned at the screen. He hated computers.

'Ian Rogers, former catholic priest, was acquitted on three charges of child molestation. Prosecution did not have sufficient evidence to mount a substantial case against the defendant, as none of the children supposedly molested were willing to testify.'

'Sounds like the defendant didn't need defending after all,' Alex muttered. Maria shot a look at her aunt, then scrolled down.

'Rogers was demoted from his post at his local church and was soon excommunicated. He changed denominations and rose to priesthood in the Anglican Church,' Bobby read aloud.

'So Rogers keeps in touch with Strickland, tells him where he's been re-instated, hooks him with a girlfriend and then decides to skip the country?' Maria asked, looking up. Goren rubbed his chin, eyes still on the screen.

'There's something missing. I know what it is, but I can't see it,' he murmured. Maria stretched and looked at the clock.

'I know what's missing. What's missing is us clocking off and going home,' she laughed. Alex and Bobby looked at each other and burst out laughing as well.

'A point well taken, sweetheart,' Bobby said.

'Let's hit the road.'

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Alex brushed her hair for what felt like the thirtieth time that evening. Running her hands along the smooth lines that the conservative black dress she was wearing created, she nodded approvingly at her reflection in the mirror. It'll do, she thought. As she reached for her cell, it began to ring.

Alex didn't even need to look at the number.

'What do you want Bobby? You already know I'm going on a date,' she said exasperatedly as she answered the phone. The line crackled.

'...I know, but I was wondering if...'

'If what, Bobby?'

'If we could make it a double-date. It's my six-month anniversary and I want to celebrate it with my friends. Come on, Alex, even you know it's a big achievement to spend six months working with me, let alone date me,' Bobby said.

Alex grinned. He was so right.

'So?' Bobby's voice echoed out of the receiver.

'So what?'

'So can Maria and I come with you?'

Alex sighed. She knew it was just a ploy so that he could keep an eye on her.

'Sure. Why not. I'm meeting Daniel at seven-thirty at the diner down the street from my apartment,' she sighed.

'Great, I'll tell Maria to get ready.'

'Oh, Bobby?'

'Yeah?'

'Wear something comfortable. You're not going to work.'

'So no suit?'

'Absolutely.'

The line went dead. Alex smiled.

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'For heaven's sake, Bobby, we're going to a diner! Not to a restaurant!' Maria sighed as Bobby Goren picked through a small collection of sweaters. He peeked over his shoulder. Maria was already dressed in a cerise, long sleeved tee and a pair of embroidered jeans. Easy for her to say, he thought huffily. She'd look good in a paper bag...

Goren settled on a burgundy polo neck and a pair of dark denim jeans that he had dug out of his closet. He pulled the sweater over his head and presented himself for inspection before his fiance. Maria rubbed her chin with the index finger of her left hand, a cheeky glint in her eye.

'Well? How's this?' he asked her, turning slowly so she could see him from all angles. Maria grinned.

'I think you should turn around again. I didn't see your butt in those jeans for long enough,' she laughed. Goren scowled.

'This is important to me, now tell me, what do you think?' he asked. Maria turned and went into their bedroom for a moment. She came out, rubbing her hands together.

'Come here,' she instructed. Goren inched cautiously forward. Maria leapt at his hair, rubbing in the gel and slicking his curls back at the sides. She stepped back and admired her handiwork.

'Now that is perfection!' she said proudly. Goren caught sight of himself in the mirror. A small curl fell roguishly down on his forehead. He grinned.

Not bad at all, he thought.

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Daniel sat nervously at a table near the back in Jimmy's, the small diner that Alex had suggested they go to. He had pinched himself when he had received her e-mail, hardly daring to believe that such a woman would be interested in him. But he had e-mailed her back during her lunch break and they had arranged to meet at Jimmy's that night. But even still, Daniel was nervous.

It didn't help when a six foot four man and a five foot four woman walked in. The man was handsome in a olde-charm sort of way. He wore a burgundy sweater and dark jeans. The woman accompanying him was tiny in comparison, but nonetheless was pretty, wearing a dark pink tee and brushed jeans. They were obviously looking for someone. The tall man spotted Daniel and strode over to his table. Daniel shook behind his menu.

'Excuse sir, are you waiting for Alex Eames?' the man rumbled. Daniel gulped.

'Sh-sure, w-who are you?' Daniel asked, a lot more bravely than he felt. The tall guy laughed, a deep, thundering sound..

'Don't look as though I'm going to kill you. I'm Bob Goren, Eames' partner at MCS. This is my fiance, Maria. Maria is Eames' niece,' Goren said, extending a hand in friendship. Daniel took it cautiously and shook Goren's hand. Bobby thought better of pumping the frightened date's hand and jerking his arm out it's socket. Bobby and Maria sat down at the table. Maria smiled at Daniel, who visibly relaxed.

'Forgive my fiance, he's a little boisterous sometimes,' Maria said warmly. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. At least Alex's niece was little more subdued.

'You never told us your name, sir,' Maria continued. Daniel brought his mind back to the present.

'I didn't? Oh, sorry. Burfield, Daniel Burfield,' Daniel said, shaking hands with Maria. The young detective smiled winningly. Goren watched her. Damn, she's good, he thought, but said nothing. Maria picked up the glass in front of her.

'So Daniel, what do you do for a living?' she asked.

'I work as a software writer for Microsoft,' Daniel said without a second's hesitation. Bobby had to stop his mouth dropping open. She doesn't even use a standard interrogation method and everyone's just willing to open up and tell her their life's story! he thought, amazed. Maria smiled politely.

'I bet that's fascinating. I work with my aunt and fiance at the major case squad. I'm a junior detective there.'

'Really? You seem young to be a detective, Miss Eames.'

'Well, you see I was transferred from Australia,' Maria began, but stopped short. Bobby snapped his head up and followed her gaze to the door where her aunt stood, dressed in the black dress he knew so well.

'Hey, Eames! We're over here!' he shouted, determined to embarrass her. Unfortunately, Alex was used to his shenanigans and simply moved swiftly to the table and sat next to her date.

'Hi, I see you the place and these two alright,' she said, indicating her partner and niece. Daniel smiled weakly.

'Yes, your niece was just telling me that she was transferred from Australia,' Daniel said. Alex looked at Maria.

'So you two are getting along famously? Should we order, then?' she asked. Bobby and Maria nodded. For the remainder of the night, under the eagle-eye of Alex, Bobby made friendly conversation with Daniel and found him to be a very gentlemanly person. At the end of the meal, the group stood up and exited the diner. At the door, Daniel wrapped an arm around Alex's waist. Bobby visibly stiffly. Maria squeezed his hand gently and he relaxed.

'I'll take Alex home, my car is nearby,' Daniel said cheerfully. Bobby forced a smile and nodded.

'Sure, just take care of her man. Or I will hunt you down,' he growled. Daniel laughed nervously, unsure whether it was a threat or a joke.

The couples said their farewells and parted ways. As they made their way back to Bobby's apartment, Maria cleared her throat.

'You need to back off, Bobby,' she said quietly. Bobby looked at her.

'What do you mean, back off?'

'You were ready to kill that guy. There was nothing wrong with him,' Maria said, looking up at her fiance, a serious look in her eyes. Bobby took a defensive position.

'Alex is my partner, Maria. I care about her and I just want to see that she gets only the best,' he said sulkily. Maria's eyes narrowed.

'Goren, I'm telling you, my aunt can look after herself. You don't need to play the hero all the time,' she said softly. Bobby felt a jolt. Maria never called him Goren. She was mad at him. VERY mad.

'Look, Maria, I'm sorry...' Bobby began, but Maria had started walking away. He hung his head in shame and jogged after her.

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Daniel pulled up outside Alex's apartment and unbuckled his seatbelt, got out and opened her door for her. Alex smiled to herself as she got out of the car. Now this is how a lady likes to be treated, she thought as she reached into her handbag for her keys. Daniel smiled shyly at her.

'I hope you had a good time tonight,' he said softly. Alex looked at him.

'Oh Daniel, of course I did! You have no idea how good it is to get out like this,' she said, omitting the fact that she rarely went out anywhere that wasn't to the bar after work with Bobby and/or Maria.

Daniel walked her to the front door of her apartment block. Alex smiled at him.

'Thanks again, Daniel. I'd like to see you again,' she said. Daniel smiled.

'Me too, Alex,' he said and turned around, walking back to his car. No kiss on the first date, Alex thought, smiling to herself. She watched Daniel unlock his car and wave from the street. She waved back and unlocked her door, a warm feeling in her stomach.

As soon as she got inside her door, her cell started ringing. Alex flipped it open.

'Eames here.'

'So did he kiss you?'

Alex sighed and slumped down in a nearby chair.

'Bobby, don't you have a life? I distinctly remember you having a relationship of your own to worry about.'

The line crackled. Alex felt her stomach drop.

'Bobby, what's happened?'

'Well... you see... I...' came Bobby's voice, but he stopped and sighed. Alex rubbed her forehead.

'Let me guess; you did something incredibly stupid and Maria is mad at you, now you're worried that you've ruined all chance of marrying her,' Alex said, like she had done before.

'Yeah, something like that.'

'What did you say to her? Maria doesn't get offended easily.'

'It was more what I did.'

'Then what did you do?'

'Well, I... see, I get... over-protective.'

Understatement of the century.

'And Maria noticed that I would've killed that guy if he had even lifted his spoon wrong.'

And that's different to any other day... how?

'Then Maria got mad and said that I should stop trying to play the hero all the time, that you can handle yourself.'

She has a point there.

'What do you think?'

Alex rubbed her forehead.

'I think you should go and apologise to your wife-to-be, get into bed with her and show her how sorry you are. I also think that it's almost one o'clock in the morning and that we have work tomorrow, so I'm going to go and get some sleep. Goodnight, Bobby.'

'Goodnight, Eames,' Bobby's voice crackled.

The line went dead.