Goren sat down on the couch, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees. He watched Maggie very patiently sit her brother near the toybox and then walk away from him with a ball. By the time she sat down a few feet from him to try to teach him to roll the ball, he had pulled himself up and was into the toybox. She sighed patiently and got up. "Tommy, how are you gonna learn to play ball if you don' let me teach you!"

He giggled when she pulled him away from the toys and sat him back down again. With a warm smile, Goren watched the scene repeat several times. Her patience never wavered. "Bring him over here, mouse."

Grabbing the baby under his arms, she gently dragged him over to their father. He sat the baby on the floor between his feet while Maggie trotted a few feet away and sat down. "Now look, Tommy."

He clapped his hands and giggled again. Turning his face up to look at Goren, he bounced where he sat. "Da da da!"

"Tommy, look here!"

He turned his attention back to his sister. She rolled the ball toward him and he batted it back toward her. She clapped. "Good boy!"

When Eames came into the room, Tommy looked up at her with a happy squeal. "Ma ma ma ma!"

She squatted and held out her arms to him. He crawled to her and she picked him up. "Mommy," Maggie scolded, her hands on her hips. "We was playin' ball!"

Goren laughed. "You have all day to play ball, mouse. Mommy and I have to get going."

With an exaggerated sigh, she trotted over to him and jumped into his lap. "Ok, Daddy."

Eames sat beside him and leaned toward her daughter. "Sorry to mess up your game, Maggie."

"It's okay, Mommy. We can play more later." She kissed her mother. "Take care-a Daddy today."

"I will. You take care of Grandpa and Tommy."

"A-course! That's my job!"

She threw her arms around her father's neck and squeezed. "I love you, Daddy."

He held her close. "I love you, too, baby. Be a good girl."

She slid from his lap and pulled Tommy from Eames' lap. She kissed her mother and dragged her brother over to Goren. "Tell Daddy bye-bye."

Tommy clapped his hands. "Dadada!"

Goren leaned forward and kissed his head, giving Maggie another kiss when she leaned in for one. She met his eyes and ordered, "Take care-a Mommy, too."

"I always do."

John came into the room and walked with them to the door. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

Eames kissed his cheek. "We'll call you later."

When the door closed behind them, John locked it and turned on the alarm. Then he turned back into the living room to play with the kids.

Logan leaned forward and stared at the computer screen. "Would ya look at that?"

Barek looked up. "What?"

"On a hunch, I had a pal of mine up in Niagara check their border crossing records. Looks like she's been in Canada." He turned and called for Goren and Eames to come over. "According to these records, Nicole was in Canada for...uh, 28 months. She came back to New York...two months ago...look at that...on your birthday, Bobby."

"Thanks for pointing that out, Mike."

"Maybe we should wire Ontario and Quebec and see if they have any unsolved murders," Barek suggested.

"Go for it," Goren muttered, heading back to his desk.

Logan looked at Eames. "Let me guess...he's nervous because she hasn't made contact today."

"Sometimes the anticipation is as bad as the event."

"We're expecting an event?"

"Don't underestimate her, Mike. You read the Croyden case."

"That was a helluva case."

"She hit him hard with that one."

"Alex, Bobby..." Deakins came out of his office, pulling on his jacket. "Come with me." He pointed at Logan. "You and Barek follow us. Move it!"

The four detectives exchanged puzzled glances, then hurried to follow the captain.

They climbed into the car and Deakins started it, turning on his red light and heading out of the parking garage. Once he was clear of the garage, he turned on the siren and pulled out into traffic. Within a few moments, Logan was behind him. "What's wrong?" Eames asked.

Deakins made a sharp turn. He glanced at her, then in the rearview mirror at Goren. Goren's face told him he suspected...the poor guy looked sick. Quietly, he said, "I just got a call that the alarm on your dad's house went off. The locals are responding."

Face pale, Eames looked at Goren. Meeting her eyes, he knew what she wanted-reassurance-and it killed him that he couldn't give it to her. He reached over the seat to touch her cheek. A single tear trailed down onto his finger before she turned away and he withdrew his hand.

Deakins brought the car to a screeching stop outside the house. There was an ambulance in the driveway. Goren wasted no time getting out of the car and running toward the house. By the time he reached the front door, Logan was at his side. Pulling out their badges and flashing them at the uniform guarding the door, they rushed inside.

Eames started for the house but stopped on the lawn. Barek joined her and Deakins rushed past her and into the house. Eames looked at Barek. "Carolyn...if anything happened to them..."

Finally, Goren came back out, followed a few moments later by Logan. He walked right up to Eames and leaned over to make himself level with her eyes. "Your dad...was badly hurt. Broken leg...shoulder...a few ribs... He...he hasn't regained consciousness. I-I need you to go with him to the hospital. Talk to him when he wakes up and find out what happened in there. It's important we know what went down."

"The kids..."

He shook his head. "They're gone."

She met his eyes, angry and stubborn. "I am your partner...and they are my children!"

His expression as he straightened told her he'd expected this argument. "I know that." His voice dropped. "But he's your dad and the kids aren't here. You need to go with him. They aren't sure he's going to be all right, Alex."

She leaned her head into his chest and balled his jacket into her fists, trembling with fury and fear. He didn't hesitate to put his arms around her. She only allowed herself a few moments in the comfort and safety of his arms before she stepped back and glared at him. "How can you be so calm?"

"I'm not, believe me. But this has to be done and done right, and I don't trust anyone else to do it. Do you?"

She shook her head. He looked at Barek. "I'll go with her," she said, reading the question in his face.

"Thanks," he answered.

He started to turn away but Eames grabbed his wrist and looked at his hand. It was trembling...the only outward sign of his inner turmoil. He drew his hand into a fist to stop the shaking and she met his eyes. "When you're done...?"

"I'll call you. But don't wait for me to call if he wakes up."

He looked around, then decided he didn't care. He gave his wife a kiss and headed back toward the house with Logan, both of them pulling on their gloves as they walked.