Okay this is my newest chapter for Degradation I have to give credit to my beta reader because I feel like this was a combined effort I really appreciate her help. Because its so late that's it for now I should've gotten to sleep hours ago..oh well a little time with Vincent always makes me feel rested, Alex to of course but she holds a different place in my dreams.

Taste of coffee and toothpaste….

Bobby POV

In the light of the early morning, my scheme to get Alex to open up seemed silly. I wasn't sure of my plan as I returned to the apartment carrying coffee and Danishes, but was determined to get Alex to tell me the truth. Stepping past the potted plant I saw Alex standing in my door frame outlined inside the morning light that fell through my doorway. She was holding an envelope, varying emotions crossing her face. Unsure what was going on but trying for enthusiasm, I pasted on a bright smile, joking with Alex about going through my mail …until I realized what it was that she held in her hand.

Another threat. Another colorfully-demented concoction left by an unknown warped lover. What was that crusted inside with the rose petals? Holding it to my nose I sniffed at the envelope, then dropped it in revulsion.He'd laced it with his seed, I looked up at Alex, hurt and afraid for her. Alex must know this man. How else would he know where I lived? Know that she was there? Why was she hiding him like a secret, unless there was something to conceal?

''Eames, what the hells going on?Is this from Robert?''

My resolve to find out just what was going on became fresh as my concern for Alex's safety was again brought forward. My body erupted in frenzied energy as I paced back and forth trying to find the words.

Every time I turned to look at her and say something the words usually at the tip of my tongue failed me. I vented at her, my concern, and my alarm overlapping my common sense. Soon Alex was not even meeting my eyes.

Instead she supported herself on my couch, hiding behind her hair. She became more and more frustrated as I told her about finding her asleep and dreaming. As I listened to myself-my tirade became more about my feelings about Robert and less about how she was my partner, my lifeline, and here I was swaggering around like a bull challenged by the new bull in town;an unknown bull, interested in someone who I had no right to be interested in. I had no right to ask her how she felt, if she felt the same, if I could even expect her to want me over him. All these presumptions I was communicating to her without even saying a word.

She held my balls in her hands, because no matter how I pumped myself up strutting towards her like King Kong, if she rejected me I would deflate like a hot-air balloon. I was being swept into this cyclone of sexual desire. The closer I became to Alex's heat the more my control faded weakening in the face of Alex and the potential loss of her to another.

I found myself standing above her, her back to my door as if she'd been trying to flee, eyes wide staring upwards into mine, asking me if I was jealous or territorial. She knew exactly what was triggering my rage, and even in her fear, she mocked me with it. , Restraint long since thrown aside, taking her lips in mine, I showed her exactly how I felt. I knew then how much I wanted Alex. It had nothing to do with her Robert and everything to do with how she made me feel, had always made me feel. Like pebbles in a pond, one by one, these thoughts dropped, rippling outwards until the wave gathering inside me rolled into the tension emanating through her. I pressed myself into her, wanting to possess all of her, to memorize the texture of her softer fleash.Skin to skin, shaking against one and other. Not caring what she thought of me at the moment. Primal now,I needed to mark her as mine. Our lips connecting, tongues battling for dominance, tasting each other, finally we could belong to each other in a way we never had before.

Robert POV

I couldn't believe my eyes. He was kissing her, kissing my Alex. The argument had started just as I had wanted it to, setting into motion the perfect circumstances for my divide and conquer strategy . But, it had blown up in my face with this unexpected turn of events. I watched as Bobby pushed Alex against the door when she had obviously been trying to leave. I was fucking pissed. Alex is mine. The same way that the life he stole from me will be. I had waited too long to take Bobby's life from him and make it mine. I would not be denied, not his life, not Alex. I needed to do something to sever their relationship, and fast. Something drastic that would make it hard for her to forgive him. Perhaps if she thought I was Bobby……staring off into the darkened room an idea was starting to form.

Alex POV

Bobby was kissing me, and it was everything and more than I had ever wanted it to be. The taste and smell of his breath inside my mouth was pounding out a staccato of hasty intentions. The moisture of his tongue tasted of coffee and morning toothpaste. Who ever thought that combination could be so erotic? I wanted those large hands every where. Bobby's hands smooth and graceful discovering my body. I'd never wanted anything so much in my life.

There was so much command and desperation, power and lust, being pumped past my lips, that my knees sagged toward him.

The desire to press into Bobby, to give him all that he wanted pulsed at my core, weeping from the freedom of it all. Finally, we were being realized.

Memories of our time together quickened through my mind. The first time I had been introduced to Bobby and that funny tickle had stuck in my throat. Speechless, I had tried to present myself professionally, thrusting my hand out toward him, and he had looked at me, cocking his head almost like he understood. I'd fallen for his smile like a damn junkie. I found myself waiting eagerly for his hands to pass in chance meeting, delighted when he'd stop to help me on with my coat.

For the most part, until the dreams, I'd been slowly tricking myself into denial, telling myself lies about how disinterested I really was to this tall intelligent and caring man.

Plutonic, plutonic, plutonic… it had become my motto, my creed, irony of ironies, my badge.

I knew what I needed from him. We had to meet on even ground, if this was ever going to work, and that meant that we had to understand each other.

Pushing at his chest, I pulled my lips reluctantly from his. Looking into his hazy unfocused eyes I asked him.

''Why Bobby, why now?'' I closed my eyes, fear reasserting itself. I was afraid of what he would see in them. But this was too important. I couldn't hide from him anymore. It was time to tell him how I felt. I cared about him too deeply to keep up the charade.

Opening my eyes I looked up into his eyes to let him see the naked truth as I clarified the question.

''Before, when you said that you trusted me, that you thought I felt the same…I do, I feel the same 100 times over. But, I have not been as honest or forthcoming as I should. It was my humility, among other things that got in the way.'' I stopped talking, taking a deep breath as I circled the buttons on his shirt with my fingertips.

''Alex…''

''Wait Bobby, let me finish.'' Putting my finger to his lips, I almost regretted the action as waves of wicked heat licked at my fingers. Bobby grinned at me mischievously as if he knew the direction my thoughts were taking.

''I have not been having nightmares.''

Grunting his assent, he rolled his eyes, looking playfully malicious as he nibbled at the same finger I'd used to keep him quiet.

Like a vise, his hold tightened even as I wiggled around. ''Bobby stop it. This is serious and I can't concentrate. Just what the hell are you doing anyway?''

''You don't like it?'' he teased, knowing perfectly well how it was affecting me..

''I can't focus with you nipping at me like that. I thought you wanted to know?''

''I do,'' his head snapped up angling to the side watching me.. ''I just found something tastier to do…but…but you're right this is important''. Straightening up, suddenly he was the serious Bobby. I regretted leaving lighthearted Bobby behind, I saw him so rarely.

It made me sad to see him shed that skin so easily. It must be one of those things he learned over the years, "110 ways to flip character in 60 seconds."

Curling my fingers around his neck so I could brush at the tiny soft hairs around back, I brought his face to mine.. ''Sometimes I feel like I haven't slept at all …these dreams...at first they were just kind of funny. That was 2 weeks ago. But they became so intense. The man in the dreams, he told me to call him Robert, as if dreams should have a choice. Since it was just a dream, it seemed harmless enough because then I could separate the two. I think …when I dream he makes me feel so..so''

''Enough! I don't want details!'' Bobby yelled suddenly going red and flushed in the face. He pushed away from my hands. .

I was so shocked it took me a moment to finish. In a rush, I spilled out the final truth.

''Robert is you Bobby."

His eyes went wide and his mouth gasped out. ''What did you say?''

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