A/N: Just a little more fluff before things get intense one last time.
Deakins sat in a chair by the window as Goren pulled on his shirt. As he finished buttoning it, the nurse came in with a clipboard. "Well, Detective Goren, I am glad to see you finally going home. A month is more than long enough to be in the hospital." She consulted the clipboard. "Here are your discharge instructions. Basically you can eat what you want and do what you want, but take it easy for a little while. Your body is still healing, so listen to it. If it hurts, don't do it. Here's a prescription for a mild pain killer, if you need it. If you have any trouble breathing, fever above 101, or pain not controlled by this medication, get yourself to the ER. Just sign here." He did. "And you are free to go. Take care of yourself."
"Thank you."
Deakins stood and looked out the window. It looked like rain. Behind him, Goren tucked in his shirt, stuffed the prescription into his pocket and picked up the gym bag Eames had left for him. "Ready to go, Captain?"
"Whenever you are, Bobby."
Eames had left a few hours ago, saying she had some things to get done, but that she would see him later. After being around her so much over the past few weeks, he missed her. She was almost fully recovered and ready to return to work, and he was grateful for that. As for his recovery…he was getting there. He still had healing to do, and the captain was not willing to risk his well being by letting him back to work too soon. Goren hadn't been happy to hear that, but when Eames sided with Deakins, he decided it wasn't worth the fight. He'd give it two more weeks…then he was going back to the squad room.
It was just starting to rain when the captain let Goren off at his apartment, where the big detective assured him he would be fine; he didn't need for Deakins to walk him in. He pulled his bag out of the back seat and leaned back in the window, grinning at his captain. "Don't treat me with kid gloves, Captain. I'm not fragile. Thanks for the ride."
Deakins laughed softly. "Rest, Bobby. Call if you need anything."
Goren waved and headed into the building. He stopped at the mailbox, but it was empty. He smiled. Eames had been there. He rode the elevator up to his floor and walked down the hall to his apartment. Pulling out his keys, he slid the door key into the lock. The door swung open and he dropped the bag beside the coat rack as he closed the door. He went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He smiled. Milk, eggs, lunch meat, chop meat, beer, juice…someone had gone shopping and stocked his fridge. He didn't have to guess who. He found his phone on the counter, sitting next to a neat stack of mail and plugged into its charger. Unplugging it, he hit speed dial two and waited for her to answer. "Eames," she answered. "Are you home already?"
"I was ready to get out of there. Thanks for going shopping."
"Your fridge was pathetic, Bobby. You aren't going to continue getting better on peanut butter and sour milk."
He laughed, grateful it didn't hurt so much anymore. She had a knack for making him laugh. "How about dinner?"
"What? You're not sick of me yet?"
"Not yet."
It was her turn to laugh. "Ok, Bobby. I'll be there soon."
He closed the phone and set it on the counter. He took a glass from the cabinet, noticing the dishes that he hadn't had a chance to wash before he'd been shot were no longer in the sink. He smiled. She'd washed the dishes, too. Pulling a container of orange juice from the fridge, he filled the glass and returned the container to its shelf. He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. His chest hurt a bit, but he had done more in the last hour and a half than he'd done in the past week. He'd have to build his stamina back up. But for now, he was tired. He lay down, rested his head on the arm of the couch and closed his eyes.
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He felt a hand on his forehead and slowly opened his eyes. He smiled at his partner as she sat on the edge of the couch beside him. Her hand rested on his chest. "How are you feeling?"
"Just tired." He slid his arm around her. "And you?"
"I feel fine. I'm going in to work tomorrow. Deakins is keeping me on a desk until you come back. It'll give me a chance to finish all that paperwork we left. Again I get stuck with the paperwork. You owe me for that, Goren."
"Ok. I owe you."
She laughed. "I made dinner. Come on."
She started to get up but he held her down, watching her face with a half smile on his. "Thanks, Eames."
"For what?"
"Well, for starters, you washed my dishes and stocked my fridge."
"There were eight dishes in the sink, Goren. Give me a break. And if you don't eat right and get better fast, I'll be stuck on a desk longer than I want to be. Besides, you already thanked me for that."
He swung his body around and sat up beside her. She was pleased to see his natural grace had returned. Sliding his arm around her shoulders he drew her close. "So I did." He sighed. "How's your nephew?"
Surprised, she said "Great. What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. I was just wondering. Uh, Alex, since I'm still supposed to take it easy…when you're done at work tomorrow, would you mind…going with me out to Carmel Ridge?"
She smiled at him, surprised, but pleased by his request. "No, Bobby. I wouldn't mind at all."
"I think maybe it's time you met her. When she's lucid she always asks about you."
"Does she? And what do you tell her?"
"Oh, just the good things."
She poked him, making him laugh. "And what don't you tell her?"
"Just the things she…doesn't need to know."
"Like how you nearly died saving my life?"
His smile faded and he leaned forward to look at her face. "I thought we were ok with this."
She touched his cheek. "We are, Bobby. Really. We're fine. I just…" She paused for a second, then asked, "Did I ever thank you?"
"Thank me? For what?"
"For saving my life, idiot."
He kissed the side of her head. "Yeah, you did, but that's ok. I'd do it again, in a heartbeat. I need you, Alex. I can't have some psycho taking you away from me. I have a handle on my life…as long as you're in it."
"Well, the psycho is where he belongs, and so am I. Come on, Goren—dinner's getting cold and you need to keep up your strength."
"Eames…"
She silenced him with a gentle kiss. "Dinner," she repeated, hopping off the couch and heading for the table. He sat there for a minute before he got up and followed her.