Disclaimer: Dick Wolf, whatever!

Title: Pinch Hitter

Characters: Goren, Eames

Genre: Humor/Romance

Summary: Goren outdoes himself with his very special birthday gift for Eames.

Possible Spoilers: The Insider, Season One and Cherry Red, Season Two; my fanfic, Eau de Ferrari. You can read this without having seen/read any of the above.

Rating: K+

Reviews welcome.

Setting: One P.P., Major Case Squad Room

Detective Robert Goren sat at his desk, opposite his partner, Alex Eames. He was pretending to review evidence files in their current case, but his mind was elsewhere. Goren kept his head down, but managed to sneak an occasional quick glance at Eames. Her birthday was coming up fast. The two partners always exchanged gifts. These gifts had traditionally been of an impersonal nature, but then Eames had broken the unwritten rules. She gave him something really special. A black leather pillow made from the car seat leather of Ferrari GTO. Ohmigod, the intoxicating smell of that rich Italian leather put Goren absolutely over the edge. After receiving a gift like that he needed to reciprocate in kind. But how? Various ideas spun in his mind. Goren rejected each and every one.

He sighed. Aloud. Oh, shit, she heard me.

Eames looked up from her laptop screen. Looked over at her partner, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"Uh…nothing…I'm just…thinking. Sorry to interrupt you."

Eames just nodded, returning her attention to her laptop screen. She was long accustomed to her partner's quirky behavior.

A few minutes later Eames asked Goren if he wanted any coffee. He nodded affirmatively. She walked down the hall to the squad room kitchenette. Ever attentive to seemingly unimportant details, Goren glanced at Eames as she walked by. It was then that the light bulb went off over his head. Goren knew that this was it, the idea for the perfect gift. The big detective was pleased as punch with himself. So pleased, that he had a huge grin on his face.

At that moment Eames placed Goren's coffee in front of him. She noticed the grin.

"Bobby, you cannot possibly be that happy over this coffee from the staff room. What's up?

"Umm….I was…uhhh…just thinking…how thoughtful it was …..of you to …uhh….go get coffee for me. Thank you."

Eames gave Goren a funny look.

"OK…"

Something is up with him. And he doesn't want to tell me. Well, I'll get it out of him sooner or later. Hmmm….wonder what it is?

Eames returned to her desk and her pile of work. Goren consciously wiped that grin off his face before she asked about it again. But he was feeling extremely smug about his idea.

That night Goren searched the Internet on his home computer. He found exactly what he needed. It was six feet long, but they would ship it to his apartment. Thankfully the building super would accept delivery while he was at work. That grin was on his face again, only Eames wasn't there to see it. There was an important second part to Eames' birthday present. But Goren knew that he could walk into a local store and pick it up without any problem.

One week later.

Goren's super brought up the large package that had arrived for him. Bobby unwrapped it to make sure it was the correct item.

Yes! This is absolutely perfect! As close to the real thing that I can get. I wonder what Eames' reaction will be? I can't wait to surprise her.

Goren hid it in his spare room on the off chance that Eames might visit his apartment. He didn't want her to see it ahead of time.

The next day after work Goren paid a visit to a specialty shop. The salesgirl was extremely helpful. He sniffed a dozen different samples until he found the perfect one. Ahhhh…..lavender, chamomile and geranium. All supposed to have a calming effect. The shop gift-wrapped his purchase.

Several days later it was Eames' birthday. She knew that Bobby was taking her out to dinner and dancing that night. Goren was a terrific dancer, so she was looking forward to a wonderful evening. And indeed it was. Goren had selected Angels Restaurant on First Avenue. The food was to die for. The service attentive, but discreet. The music, perfect for dancing. Alex Eames finally got the chance to be in Bobby Goren's arms. They lived under the restrictions of the NYPD on police partnerships. Fraternization was outside the allowable bounds of such partnerships. But, tonight was her birthday, so it was just two friends celebrating. Or, at least, that is what they each told themselves.

It was nearly midnight. Bobby could see that Alex was starting to tire a little. It had been a workday for them, so it was a long day.

"I'd …uh…like you to come back to my apartment. I want to give you your…ummm birthday present, Alex."

Alex….he called me by my first name! And there's more?….more than this terrific dinner and dancing? What on earth can it be?

They took a cab to Goren's apartment. He unlocked the door, took her coat. Then he made the most unusual request.

"Before I …ah…give you your present I need you to do something. I know it sounds…umm strange, but please do it."

"What is it, Bobby?"

"Please uh…take off your shoes and stockings," requested Goren.

"That's it? Nothing else?"

There's an invitation. But I need to focus on giving her the birthday gift.

"Uh..no…just your stockings and shoes."

Alex excused herself to go into the bathroom to remove her stockings. What is he doing? Walked back out into the living room, barefoot.

"OK, Bobby. Now what?"

"Please have a seat on the sofa. And uhhh….close your eyes. No peeking."

Alex sat on Goren's sofa. Closed her eyes. Promised not to peek. She could here Bobby moving around. Sounded like he walked down the hall, opened a door, and walked back to the living room. She heard him set something down, but could not determine what it was by the sound. Then she heard him move the ottoman so that it was in front of her.

"You can open your eyes, now," said Bobby.

He was sitting on the ottoman, holding a gift wrapped box with a big bow.

"Happy birthday, Alex!" and he handed her the box, as he kissed her on the cheek.

She started to unwrap the box, but he stopped her.

"There's….there's uh…someone else here."

"Someone else?" Alex had not heard anyone else except Bobby moving around. "Who else is here?"

"He's…umm…standing behind you."

Alex held the still-wrapped gift in her lap, as she turned her head to see who was there.

"Derek Jeter?" Alex burst out laughing. "What is Derek Jeter doing here, Bobby?"

Of course, it wasn't really Derek Jeter, not live, in person. It was a full color, life size, cardboard standup of Derek Jeter. The thing was close to six feet tall.

"Finish opening your gift and …I'll explain."

Alex tore off the bow and the pretty floral paper. Lifted out a bottle of Blissful massage oil. The label said it contained lavender, chamomile and geranium. She unscrewed the top. Took a whiff. Mmmmmmm…very sensual, very relaxing.

She looked at Bobby expectantly.

"A couple weeks ago when you got coffee for both of us, I noticed that you had taken your shoes off, you were walking around the squad room in your stocking feet. And then I remembered when we were in Judge Cordeno's office during the Carlyle case. Remember that?"

"Oh, yeah… sure."

"And Carver said that the judge 'wants compelling evidence'?"

"I guess."

"And you said to me, 'I want a foot massage from Derek Jeter'?"

Now Alex was laughing out loud. Holding her sides laughing. Tears running down her face laughing.

"So, the real Derek Jeter had other plans for tonight?" chuckled Alex.

"Yeah, he's uhhh…playing in Seattle tonight. Couldn't make it….So, you get the Derek Jeter stand-in behind you… and me."

"You?"

"Yeah…uhh…I'm the…. The pinch-hitter for Jeter tonight. I get to give you the foot massage…..if, ummm…that's alright with you?"

Bobby Goren has the most expressive, sensual hands I have ever seen. And he wants to put them on my feet. I think I have died and gone to heaven. A foot massage from Bobby. Much better than Derek Jeter!

"So, Bobby….what are you waiting for?" grinned Alex, as she wiggled her toes.

FIN.