She noticed that the other detectives in the squad were avoiding her, except for Logan and Barek, who understood her grief as well as anyone could. But she really didn't care. She had trouble caring about anything lately. Logan and Barek did what they could, keeping the promise they'd made to her father to watch out for her. And she let them, to a point. Deakins still hadn't found her a partner, so she helped Logan and Barek with their cases. And she sat at her desk, struggling mightily not to cry every time she looked at the empty desk across from her.

She set the last form onto the pile in front of her, half on her desk and half on Bobby's. Paperwork done. He would have still been working on his share. And then she'd take half of what he had left, and he'd smile at her…The pencil in her hand snapped in two. Damn.

"Hi, Alex."

She turned in her chair, frowning at the familiar voice. "Pete?"

Peter Delaney smiled. He had more gray than the last time she'd seen him, and a few more pounds, but he still had that sparkle in his gray eyes that made him seem ten years younger than he was, even if he wasn't really that old. He was what, just a few years older than Bobby.Under normal circumstances she would have jumped up to give him a hug, but these were not normal circumstances and she could garner no real emotion for anything. He noticed the deep sorrow in her eyes, and it pained him. He said quietly, "Long time no see." He walked to Goren's desk and nodded at it. "May I?"

She hesitated for a long moment before nodding. "Ok."

He sat down and looked at her. "I was really sorry to hear about your partner. It was a nice funeral."

"You were there?"

"Yeah. I didn't know him, but I knew of him. You were partners for what? Nine, ten years?"

"Ten."

He shook his head. "That's gotta hurt."

"You have no idea. Why are you here, Pete?"

"I got a call the other day. You know, I'm friggin' ready to retire. Hell, I been countin' the damn days. And I get this call sayin' my old partner needs me."

"What? What do I need you for?"

"Seems you have a partner problem."

"You could say that. My partner's gone."

"Yeah. Deakins told me you're taking it real hard."

"How am I supposed to take it, Pete?"

"You…loved him, didn't you?" She looked away from him. "Don't hide from me, Alex. I can see it in your face. Now I want to hear it, from your heart."

She waited, and so did he. Delaney had been her partner for three-and-a-half years, until she transferred to Vice. He'd been a good partner, and a good friend. Finally she looked at him. "Why are you here, Pete?" she asked again.

"I told you. My old partner needs me. Deakins called in a damn favor. And I figured I owed you one or two, or twelve. I'm putting off my retirement and coming to work here at Major Case. I'm not intimidated by the memory of Bobby Goren. I respected the hell out of him. You need a partner, and I fit the bill."

"What bill is that?"

"Let's see…I'm a veteran cop. I've been shot more than three times and still keep comin' back for more. I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, but I still get the job done at half the wattage. And I'm no threat to you."

"What does that mean? No threat to me?"

"It means I'm not looking to step up to the plate and take his place. I can be your partner, and let you remember that you were his. I won't let you forget that you were the prettier half of Goren and Eames…and the half that let the rest of the world come to know he wasn't quite the nut job everyone thought he was."

"Well, as you can see no one's exactly chomping at the bit to be my partner."

"I can see why. Who wants to follow in the footsteps of a legend? You think anyone can measure up to him? Cops don't like that kind of failure."

"What about you, Pete?"

He laughed. "That's not an issue with me, Alex. I'm too old to try and too tired to care. I can do the job well enough to suit the brass and the captain, and me, and that's all I have to do. I'm smart enough to leave the legend of Bobby Goren untouched. He may be gone, but I won't chase away what he left."

"He left me, Pete."

"I know. I'm going to sound clichéd here, but if he's in your heart, he's not really gone. And that's exactly where he is, isn't he? You really loved him."

"More than anyone will ever know."

"Ok. Now I know where I stand. I'm ready to be your partner again. Deakins wants me to be your partner again. And I'm ok with Goren being a part of us, 'cause there's no way he'll stop being a part of you. So…are you ok with me being your partner again?"

"Have you stopped smoking those damn cigars?"

"No, and I never will. But I won't smoke in the car any more."

"Ok, then. I guess we can work it out."

"And you don't mind if I borrow Goren's desk?"

"I don't think he'd mind. After all, you're borrowing his partner."

Delaney smiled. "Yeah, I am. I'll see you in the morning. You bring the donuts, and I'll bring the coffee."

"You remember how I take my coffee?"

"Yep. A drop-and-a-half of milk and two pounds of sugar."

She almost smiled. He winked at her and got up, disappearing into Deakins' office. She leaned back in her chair. Something inside her told her that Bobby would approve.