mmm…brie and sun-dried tomato and olive sam-bu-wich (that's how my teacher's little son, Bennett, says it)… God's gift to this green earth. I wish I could describe the state of serene happiness I am experiencing now…
Chapter 4Weeks had gone by, Alex was starting to show, and the news had spread around MCS and now Alex was enduring nothing short of an onslaught on congratulations and inquiries about the father. She told them it was artificial insemination, but a few of them weren't keen to believe her. Of course, more than a few had plans on how to hack or break into the Database that held that information… But they were all just little mischievous detectives who were a) having fun, and b) trying to prove they could live up to the amount of information Goren and Eames seemed to be capable of finding out at any given moment.
This all greatly amused Alex, and she was happier now than she had been in months. Unfortunately, due to the secrecy, Bobby couldn't take part in the public joy. He didn't talk to her about it; he just quietly sat and smiled whenever some one came up to congratulate her, lovingly helped her in preparing her apartment (cleaning was the first step, and it would take a while), and was generally supportive.
While he enjoyed doing all of those things, he quietly resented that they had to keep it a secret. This was as much his doing as it was hers; in fact, it was mostly his doing. Women don't just get pregnant on their own. It takes two to tango…But Bobby pushed those thoughts aside. What mattered now was her… second to that was having another temporary partner. That also weighed heavily on his mind.
Alex walked into Deakins office. "Hey Cap, got those dates. I was wondering if I could take off a little earlier than last time, so I can prepare, you know?"
"That shouldn't be a problem, I'll clear it with upstairs."
"You got Bobby's temp yet?" she asked.
"Yah," he said, opening a folder. "Woman by the name of Natasha Larking.
"Hmm, never heard of her."
"Yah, She just made Detective and Chief of Ds wants to stick her in here to see what she's like, how she does…"
"What, does he want to break her?" Alex asked. Putting a new kid with Bobby Goren was practically a death sentence. Somehow, Alex had survived…
Deakins laughed. "I don't know. Just tell him to be nice to her. She'll be here in 2 weeks."
"Ok. Thanks, Cap." Alex shut the door behind her and went back to her desk.
"It's a girl," she said to Bobby.
He looked up, surprised. "What? I thought they wouldn't know until-"
"You're temporary partner is a girl," She said, taking amusement in Bobby's surprise. "Natasha Larking. Newbie…"
"Oh," he said. "Another chick…"
"Yes, another chick. Somehow they seem to think you work well with women. Can't imagine why," she said, rolling her eyes. He grinned and blushed. "I'm going to pull her file."
"To do what?"
"Just to see…"
"Eames, you're not jealous, are you?" he asked smiling.
"No, I just want to see what her record is…"
"Oh please, leave it be. Don't worry, if she's good looking I won't giver her the time of day."
"That helps a lot- what does that make me, meatloaf?" she said crossing her arms pretending to be pissed off.
"No, it makes you Prime Rib. A man just can't handle two steaks at once…"
Alex laughed. "Shut up while you're behind mister."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"…and you can even eat your Nads…" the TV said, though its audience wasn't listening. The audience was lying on the couch, the female laying on her side in front of the male, who had his hands wrapped around her abdomen. The female's head rested on the chest of the male.
"How are we going to handle being parents?" Alex asked.
"I don't know."
"We don't even live together… technically."
"I've thought about that…" he replied contemplatively.
"Perhaps we should get married," she said, "Andy and Connie did, remember? They had special permission. They were still able to stay together in the same precinct," she said optimistically.
"Yes, but they weren't partners."
Alex sighed. "Damn, thought I had it there for a minute."
"Listen to us, we sound so selfish."
"What do you mean?" she asked, turning her head to try and see his.
"Well, we may have to face the reality that we can't stay partners if we do this right-"
"What do you mean, 'do this right'?"
"Be parents, and raise our kid together."
"But I don't want to not be your partner," said Alex, panicking at the thought of not being able to stay with Bobby forever. "I don't want to loose you," she said almost childlike, digging her head in his chest.
"That's just it- you won't. We can stay at Major Case, but not be partners. We'll still see each other at work, and we can move in together and be a family. It would work." He kissed her head.
"But it won't be the same," she said.
"Eames, Things change. Nothing's the same anymore."