Goren turned over on the couch and groaned. Damn. Slowly he sat up, raising his hand to his head. He waited for the throbbing to ease before he got up and went down the hall to the bathroom.
He felt a little better after dousing his face and head with cold water. But the throbbing returned when the phone rang. He grabbed the receiver from its cradle. "What?"
"Well, good morning, sunshine."
"Eames?"
"Who else? How do you feel?"
"Like a damn train wreck. Did you…have a good time last night?"
"Yes, Bobby, I did, and thank you."
"For what?"
He could hear the smile in her voice and see it in his mind. "For being a big part of that good time. Hey, are you interested in going out tonight?"
"If you want to."
"You mind if Logan and Barek come along, too?"
"Whatever. I don't care."
"Ok, I'll see you in a couple of hours."
"A couple of hours? What time is it?"
"Almost two. Why? Did you just get up?"
"Yeah."
"I'm not surprised. I'll see you around five."
"Yeah, ok." He dropped the phone back in its cradle. God, he needed a shower.
----------------------------------------------------------------
He went to the door when the doorbell rang. Barek smiled at him. "How are you feeling today?"
He stepped back to admit her and her partner. "I'm ok." He looked at Logan, who was doing a great job of looking exactly like he felt. "Rough day, Logan?"
Logan glared at him. "If you don't have the decency to at least look hungover, I don't want to talk to you."
He walked over to the couch and dropped onto it. Barek looked around. "Where's Eames?"
"She's not here yet."
Logan looked up. "What? She didn't spend the night?"
Goren frowned at him. "Why would she?"
Before Logan could reply, the apartment door opened and Eames came in. She looked from Goren to Logan. "You know, from the look of it, you would think Logan had been the bigger drinker."
Logan frowned. "It wasn't a contest. And did you start bugging him at ten o'clock this morning?"
He glared at his partner, who grinned. "He didn't wake up in a good mood today."
Eames smiled. "Well, from the sound of it, neither did Goren."
Logan leaned forward again, like he had the night before, and said, "We are right here."
Goren laughed. Only Eames caught the slight wince when he did. "They talk about us when we're not around, Logan. Wouldn't you rather hear what they have to say?"
"Like we'd say any of the good stuff in earshot," Barek commented.
"Ok," Logan said, getting up off the couch. "It's time to go."
Eames and Barek smiled at one another as Logan headed for the door. Goren grabbed his keys off the TV where Eames had set them the night before and followed the women from the apartment.
Logan hung back to walk with Goren. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"What?"
"Going out, after the night we had last night?"
The big detective shrugged. "I don't mind."
"Did you really drink what I saw you drinking last night or did you pour it under the table?"
Goren smiled. "Going out for dinner shouldn't be too taxing, Logan. Just relax."
"Easy for you to say."
He shrugged again. The women were waiting for them. "Problem, boys?"
Logan shook his head. "Whatever gave you that idea?"