A/N: Ok, well, it's short, but at least it's here. I'm thinking maybe one or two more chapters to this story, if the plot stays the way it is in my head. But we all know how slippery those mental plots can be, so don't put money on me.

"What's so funny, kids?" Oli asked, popping up from behind the bar as he heard them approaching. "Let me in on the joke!"

Alex and Bobby looked at each other, then back to him. "We just started yet another rumor about Bobby's sex life," Alex told him.

Oli almost dropped the glass he'd just picked up. "Interesting," he managed after a second. "Is it a good rumor, or a bad one?"

"Good question," Bobby said. "I'm not really sure."

"Oh, come on," Alex teased, resting her head against his arm. "It's all part and parcel of the 'he's so big that he doesn't have to be dominant' rumor."

"Beg pardon?" Oli said.

Bobby just shook his head. "We just vanquished Janet for the . . . what was it, third time tonight?" he broke off, looking down at Alex.

"Something like that."

He kept his eyes on her as he began to speak again, even though he was addressing Oli. "And now we need to get out of here before she can take a fourth try."

"You guys can't leave this early!" Oli exclaimed. "Come on, we're just starting to have fun!"

"This," Alex said dryly, looking around at the drunk 40-somethings who filled the room, "is fun?"

He frowned, then grinned at her. "Let me fix you another drink. It'll seem a lot more fun then."

"No more drinks," Bobby interrupted, slipping his arm around her shoulders. "We're probably going to get called into work tomorrow morning, and I don't think either of us needs a hangover and a cranky partner."

"Who are you calling 'cranky'?" Alex teased, elbowing him in the side.

"Hey, guys," Dan said, appearing out of the crowd to stand on Alex's other side. "What's with the pow-wow?"

"Bobby and Alex want to leave," Oli informed him. "Something about work and cranky partners."

"Better than cranky computers," Dan said with a shrug. "At least you can hit a cranky partner. You guys are really going to go?"

They looked at each other again, each reading the unmistakable signs of weariness on the other's face. "Yeah," Alex finally said. "I think we're both about done for."

"That's what they all say."

All four of them turned to the source of the voice that had spoken. "Annie," Bobby said with a sigh. "Don't start."

"Who said I'm starting anything? Mike and I are tired too, actually."

"Oh," Oli said, pursing his lips disapprovingly, "I see how it is. All the couples are going to go off to bed and leave us poor singles alone at the reunion."

"Yep," said Bobby with a nod.

"Pretty much," Annie agreed. "Maybe you can meet the love of your life after all us married folk have cleared out."

"Already found mine," Dan announced with a grin, wrapping an arm around Alex's waist and giving her a playful squeeze.

"Hands off, bucko," Alex said, slapping lightly at his wandering fingers.

"Yeah, hands off," Oli echoed, managing to bump Bobby slightly out of the way and put his arm around Alex's waist from the other direction. "I've got dibs on her."

Alex rolled her eyes and stood still while the two men pretended to duel over her. "Have I mentioned tonight that I'm really glad no one's got a video camera?"

"So you think," Susan spoke up from behind her, taking a man's wrist in each hand and pulling them away from Alex.

"Thanks, Susan," she said, pretending to dust off her clothes. "Grabby hands wrinkle clothing, boys. I should charge you for dry cleaning." A second later, as Susan's first words penetrated her brain, she whipped around to face the other woman. "What do you mean 'so I think'?"

Susan pressed her lips together, trying to keep from laughing at the look on Alex's face. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but there's been a professional videographer wandering around all night. You've been recorded, whether you know it or not."

She stared at Susan for a long second, then glared up at Bobby. "So help me, Goren, if that video gets out . . ."

"Hey," he said, raising his hands in surrender, "you think I want people to see video of Janet Stapleton climbing all over me? If I'd known, I'd have tried to keep us away from the video guy."

" 'Scuse us," Emily Vincent spoke up as she ducked into the circle the group had unconsciously formed. "Just wanted to say good night to you all . . . Dom and I are about ready to head home. Uh, Alex . . ." she added, letting her voice trail off as she took in the cluster of men standing around the detective. "Are you still trying to decide who you're taking home with you?"

Alex snorted. "Hell no. Bobby's just got desperate friends. We were just getting ready to go, too."

"Looks like it's about time to go, then," Annie said, elbowing Dan out of the way and taking Alex's arm. "Quick," she whispered into the other woman's ear, "let's move before they regroup."

Alex grinned at her, then looked back at the two men to give them a wink. "Sorry boys. Looks like I've been claimed. Night!"

A chorus of groans followed the two women as they walked away. "Too bad I was never this popular with men in real life!" Alex exclaimed, glancing back at Mike and Bobby, who were following them at a distance.

"It's all real life, hon," Annie said with a smirk. "It's just that you only care about being popular with one man. And," she added, following Alex's eyes over her shoulder, "you're definitely very popular with him. Did you guys get things worked out?"

Alex's step faltered slightly. "We . . . called a truce, I guess you could say. We agreed not to talk about it until after tonight."

"Hmm. He's taking you back to your place now?"

"Uh . . . as far as I know," she said dubiously, not having thought about exactly what they were going to do once the reunion was over. "He certainly won't take me to his apartment, not unless I ask him to. Maybe not even then."

"Ask!" Annie urged, nudging her. "Don't let him just drop you off at home. He'll -"

"- start working on forgetting this ever happened," Alex finished for her. "I know. But it's . . . complicated. We work together, for god's sake."

"So what? I heard what Emily told you about the department loving you guys. I'm telling you, Alex, go for it!"

Alex carefully extricated her arm from Annie's grip as they approached the parking garage. "That's a lot easier to say than to do."

Both women looked back to check on the men's progress. When they looked back at each other, Annie gave Alex a challenging look. "Oh, come on. Just make him take you to his apartment - you don't have to do anything else. Just make sure you stay in his head!"

"Is that how you got your husband?" Alex shot back, raising her eyebrows. "Refusing to leave him alone?"

"Actually, it kind of was," she admitted. "But that's a story for another day."

"Oh, not fair!"

"What's not fair?" Bobby asked as both men jogged the last few steps to catch up with the women.

"Nothing," Alex said, glaring at Annie.

Rather than looking cowed, Annie looked amused. Taking her husband's arm, she started to walk away, then pulled Mike to a halt and looked back over her shoulder at Alex. Giving the other woman a wink, she shook her head teasingly. "Just do it, Alex."

Alex frowned at her retreating back, making a conscious effort not to shout a retort.

"What's she talking about?" Bobby asked, stepping into her line of sight and ducking his head toward her. "Just do what?"

"Nothing," she said with a shake of her head. "So, uh . . . you ready to go?"

He looked at her for another second, clearly not satisfied with her dismissal of the subject, then sighed. "I'm ready if you are."

She was aware of him eyeing her back as she climbed into the car, and she hid a smile at the knowledge that, as hard as she found it to mentally dismiss him, he was having an even harder time getting her out of his consciousness. "Bobby?"

"Yeah?" He didn't look at her as he responded, keeping his attention on the ignition key as if it needed psychic encouragement.

"Did you . . . have fun tonight?"

Surprised by the question, he looked up at her. "Of course I did. I told you that."

She nodded slightly. "Good. I, uh . . . so did I." She fell silent, waiting for him to make the next conversational overture and resolving not to speak until he gave her some indication that he was interested in what she had to say.

Fifteen minutes later, they were still sitting in silence when Bobby pulled the car to a stop in front of her building. "So . . ." he murmured awkwardly. "Uh, thanks for coming."

She didn't respond for a moment as she examined his face, noting the tension he was trying to conceal. "You're welcome, Bobby. Thank you for inviting me," she said, making no move to get out of the car.

He looked up at her, cleared his throat, and looked away again. "You're welcome."

A heavy quiet settled over the car as Alex watched Bobby and Bobby kept his eyes on his shoes.

"Goren?" she finally said softly, reaching out to touch her fingers to his cheek.

He blinked, finally raising his eyes to her face. "Yeah?"

"Why don't you park the car and come inside? I think we have some talking to do."