The next afternoon, Eames returned to the hospital. Her partner was sleeping when she came into the room, so she sat in the chair by his bed like she had the day before.
When he woke, she was looking out the window. He watched her until she noticed he was awake. "Hi," she smiled.
He smiled back. "Hi. You look better."
"I feel better. How about you?"
He nodded. "I'm fine, Eames. They're letting me out in the morning. How's the baby?"
"She was asking to go to your place this morning."
He smiled. Leaning forward to look at her, he said, "We need to talk."
She returned to the chair by the bed. "Yes, we do."
"Why did you take off like that yesterday?"
She looked at her hands. "I…I don't know." Looking up to meet his eyes, she said, "Something snapped." He would understand that. "I saw red, Bobby. He didn't just cross the line; he stomped on it and trampled it into oblivion."
"You want to know what I saw?" She nodded. "I saw you getting hurt, or worse. He…was angry. More than angry. And I couldn't be sure he wouldn't direct that anger toward you."
"He tried. It didn't work. I guess I was angrier."
The corners of his mouth twitched. "Mike told me you kicked some ass."
She nodded. "And he told me Ricky was going to kill you."
The amusement vanished from his face. "Why did he tell you that?"
"He thought I needed to know." Goren's expression told her he did not agree. "If it makes you feel any better, he expects you to kick his ass for it."
"Don't worry. I will."
She was quiet for a long moment. "If I asked you something, would you answer me?" He looked wary. "It's not a trick, Goren, but it's something I want to know. Logan wouldn't tell me."
"If Logan wouldn't tell you, what makes you think I will?"
"Because I'm asking you to."
"Go ahead."
"When did Ricky start harassing you?"
"Who said he was harassing me?" She was silent. "Logan…"
"Don't blame him. I asked and he said he couldn't tell me. You know what that means as well as I do."
He rubbed his forehead. "Eames…"
"Tell me."
Stubborn woman…"After Maggie was born."
"And you just weren't going to tell me."
"No, I wasn't."
"Why the hell not?"
"I figured if he turned his attention to me, he would be bothering you less."
"I don't need a martyr, Goren."
"Don't get mad. You have no idea…" He shook his head. He didn't want to argue. "Forget it."
"I heard about the fight in the parking garage yesterday."
"That's it. Logan's dead meat."
She almost smiled. "Don't blame Mike. You should have told me. Then you wouldn't be here." She indicated the room around them.
"And you might be…or worse. That wasn't a chance I was willing to take…for you or your daughter."
Maggie…he was right. It wasn't just her any more. She had Maggie. "It makes me mad that you think you have to protect me all the time, Goren. But thank you for thinking of Maggie. You can be her protector forever. Then I'll never have to worry about her. Her dates will take one look at you and she'll be home by curfew every night."
"Dates?"
She laughed. "Yes, she is going to start dating some day."
"Not if I have anything to do with it."
She started laughing. No, she would never have to worry about her daughter as long as Goren was around.