The room was quiet, except for the sound of his coarse breathing and his occasional reflexive coughing. A nurse came in every half hour to check on him, but other than that, no one disturbed the quiet. Eames was worried about him. Dr. Barrett had left orders to page him when his patient regained consciousness. So far, Goren gave them no sign of waking.

A soft knock sounded in the room and the door slid open, spilling light from the hallway across the floor. The only light in the room was the one over his bed directed upward toward the ceiling, and it served mostly to just cast the room in shadows. Deakins came into the room. "Hi, Alex," he said softly.

"What are you doing here, Captain? It's late."

"You should have called me. I just got word about what happened."

"I was going to call you in the morning. It's after midnight."

"How is he?"

"They say he's ok."

"I was told he got caught in a housefire. How did that happen?"

"We were on our way back from Carmel Ridge and we came across a housefire. A young woman was freaking out because her little boy was still in the house, so Bobby went in to get him."

"And?"

"And he did. The little boy is fine, and so is his mother."

"Did he tell you what happened in there?"

"No. He didn't say much of anything, and he collapsed not long after coming out of the house."

"Why the bandages on his head?"

"He got hurt while he was in the house. They bandaged a laceration and said he has a concussion, but the CT scan they did was ok."

"And they have him on oxygen?"

"For smoke inhalation. That's why he's breathing like Darth Vader. They said he's lucky. It could have been much worse. His airway is clear and there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage."

"So he's just sleeping?"

"Not quite. He hasn't regained consciousness yet."

Deakins frowned. "What do they make of that?"

"I don't know. They haven't said much, except page the neurologist when he wakes up."

Deakins sighed and looked at his favorite team of detectives. "Are you going to stay here with him?"

She gave him a small smile. "That's what partners do."

The captain nodded. That was what partners did, especially devoted partners like these two were. "I guess there's no sense in my hanging around. Call me in the morning and let me know how he's doing. Try to get some rest."

"I'll try. Thanks, Captain."

Deakins left the room and she leaned back in the chair. Get some rest…yeah right…

---------------------------------------------------------

Eames dozed in the chair beside his bed. Something woke her, but she wasn't sure just what it was. The room was still dark. She looked around, her eyes coming to rest on her partner, who was lying on his side, arm tucked under his head, watching her. He smiled when she looked at him. She smiled back. "How do you feel?"

"I have a headache." He indicated the room around them. "What am I doing here, and why are you sleeping in that chair?"

"Don't you remember the fire?"

"Fire? No. What happened?"

"Let me go and get the doctor first."

He shrugged and grinned at her. "I'll wait here."

She smiled at his light tone and laid a hand on his cheek. He turned his head to kiss her palm. She wondered at that as she left the room.

Eames returned shortly with a nurse, who turned on the lights and listened to his chest. Deep breaths triggered a deep cough, but his lungs were clearing, she said. "Dr. Barrett will be here shortly," she informed them.

A few minutes later, Barrett came into the room. He smiled at Eames. "It's nice to see you again, Ms. Eames. When you said you were staying I didn't know you planned to remain all night."

She shrugged. "I hadn't planned on it, doctor. But it was kind of pointless for me to go home and worry when I could do that just as easily here. I have to make sure he's ok before I can think about leaving."

Barrett just nodded, but his understanding did not extend to the partner dynamic. It went as far as boy-girl and stopped. He turned to Goren. "Well, Robert, it's nice to see you awake. How do you feel?"

Goren nodded. "I'm ok, I think."

"Any pain or nausea? Anything abnormal?"

He seemed to think about it. "I…" he started. Then paused again. With effort, he finally remembered what the doctor had asked. "Yes."

The doctor frowned. "Yes? Can you be more specific?"

"About what?"

Barrett looked at Eames. "Is he playing with me?"

She was frowning. "I don't think so. Bobby, tell the doctor what hurts or isn't right about how you feel."

"Well, my head hurts, and I feel sick to my stomach. I'm really tired. Other than that, I think I'm ok."

"You took a serious blow to the head this evening." He advanced to the big cop's bedside. "Sit up for me, please."

Goren sat up, but closed his eyes quickly. "Dizzy?" the doctor asked. He nodded. "That's not unusual. I'll wait until you're ready to proceed."

After several attempts, Goren finally opened his eyes and nodded at the doctor. "Ok, now?"

"Well, not ok, but I can open my eyes without puking." The doctor gave him a small smile. He took out a penlight and shined it in his eyes. Then he proceeded with a series of simple tests designed to evaluate neurological functioning. Satisfied, he stepped back from the bed, and Goren fell back against the pillows, closing his eyes again until the wave of dizziness and nausea passed. Barrett waited until he opened his eyes and looked at him again. "There's nothing I can really do right now. I'll think about more tests tomorrow, if you seem any worse. I'll be by in the morning to see how you're doing. They told me that your lungs are clearing, and the more you cough, the quicker they'll clear. I want to know if your headache worsens, your vision changes, or you notice anything unusual." He looked at Eames. "If anything concerns you have me paged."

Eames still looked concerned. She walked with the doctor to the door. "His confusion…?"

"It's pretty normal after a head injury. He may be restless or irritable, tired or have trouble concentrating or remembering things. I want to know about anything you notice out of the ordinary. And if anything worsens, page me immediately."

She nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Barrett."

The doctor left the room, and Eames returned to her partner, who was watching her again. "How do you feel, Bobby?"

He settled down on his side and tucked his arm under his head again. She'd seen him in that position many times. He smiled at her. "I'm ok. Why are you here?"

"Because I was worried about you."

"What for? I'm fine."

"I didn't know that, and they couldn't tell me anything for sure until you woke up. How long have you been awake?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"You should have woken me."

"I liked watching you sleep."

"You've seen me sleep before, Bobby."

"Really?"

"Yes."

He looked thoughtful and shook his head. "When?"

She frowned. "A hundred times."

"Really? Where?"

"My place, your place."

"Your place?"

"Yes," she became tentative. "At my place…"

"Oh. So why would I…go to your place?"

"To work on cases, or for dinner, or just to hang out."

"And I stayed? All night?"

"Sometimes."

He nodded. "And you've been to my place?"

"Yes, of course. Bobby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just…don't remember that."

"But it happens all the time."

He just nodded, looking into his mind for memories he could not access. She studied him. This could not be good. "Let me go get Dr. Barrett."

"Why? I don't feel any worse."

"But something's not right." She hesitated for a moment. "Bobby, do you know who I am?"

"Of course. You're my partner."

"What kind of partner?"

He smiled. "Are you sure you are ok?"

"Just answer me."

"We're cops, and you're my partner."

"What's my name?"

"Are you sure you shouldn't be here in this bed?"

For some reason, she blushed, which made him laugh softly, triggering a coughing fit. She stepped to his side as he sat up, placing a hand on his back until the coughing subsided. She leaned over and looked at him, her face near his. "Are you ok?"

He turned his head to look at her, holding her gaze with his. "Yeah," he whispered. His fingers gently touched her chin and he let them caress her jawline. She stepped back, an odd look on her face. "Bobby, I'll be right back."

"I…did I do something wrong?"

She touched his fingers. "No. You're fine." She left the room. Heading toward the nurses station, she was relieved to find Dr. Barrett still there. "Doctor?"

"Oh, yes, Ms. Eames? Is something wrong?"

"I…I'm not sure. He's…well, something just isn't right. He…he's not remembering some things…"

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that he has seen me sleeping before. Or that we have spent a lot of off duty time together, working on cases, or just hanging out at my place or his. And he…he's just not…entirely…himself. I can't put a finger on it."

"You spend a lot of time with him?"

"Yes."

"So you know him well?"

"Probably better than anyone else does."

He nodded. "Then I can trust your instinct that something's wrong." He headed back to Goren's room with Eames right behind him, but he stopped outside the room and turned to Eames. "Ms. Eames, what did you and Robert do today?"

"We finished a case and then went out to visit his mom. It was a pretty long and difficult day. He had a difficult interrogation, and the visit with his mom wasn't easy."

"Where is his mother?"

"At Carmel Ridge. She has schizophrenia, and she…she didn't know him today. She got violent and had to be restrained and sedated."

"Is that a typical visit?"

"I haven't gone with him before, so I can't say for certain, but I do know it's not uncommon."

"And the fire?"

"We came across it on the way in from Carmel Ridge."

"How was his demeanor beforehand?"

"He was sleeping. It was an exhausting day for him, physically and emotionally."

Barrett nodded. "Ok. Thank you."

Goren looked up when they came in. "I don't know why she had you come back in here, doctor. I feel the same."

"How you're feeling isn't the issue, Robert. How you're behaving is."

"How I'm be…" He looked at Eames. "How am I behaving?"

"Something just isn't right, Bobby."

"Because I touched your chin?"

"No, no…that's just…part of it."

"I've never touched you before?"

Barrett held up his hand to silence Eames' reply. "Have you, Robert? Have you ever touched her before?"

"I thought…I mean…I must have…"

"Do you know for certain?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't remember. But if I've stayed at her place…"

"Not in my damn bed, Goren," Eames snapped.

Barrett was intrigued by his confused look "You aren't certain of your relationship with your partner?"

"My…oh, yeah…I guess I forgot that. I…I'm sorry, Eames. If I crossed any line…"

"No, Bobby. You didn't. I just…I'm worried."

The doctor pulled up a chair and sat down. "Do you remember how you got hurt, Robert?"

Eames recognized the look on his face, but the frown that accompanied it was new. "Uh, no."

"What did you do today?"

He shrugged. "What I always do."

"Which is?"

"I went to work."

"Where do you work?"

"At One Police Plaza. Major Case squad, eleventh floor."

The doctor nodded and looked at Eames, who confirmed what he'd said. "And what else?" Goren shrugged and looked at Eames. Barrett noticed the look. "Ms. Eames told me that your mother is still alive but not competent to make decisions regarding your care. So who has authorization to make those decisions for you if you cannot?"

"Alex does."

The doctor nodded. "Can you tell me why?"

Goren looked confused. "Why what?"

"Why did you give your partner so much responsibility for your welfare?"

There was that thoughtful look again. "Why?" He acted as though the answer was obvious and the doctor was an idiot. "Because she's all I have."

Barrett looked at Eames, who was looking at Goren with an odd expression on her face. The doctor was intrigued by these two partners, who appeared to him to be more than just partners on some level not even they seemed to understand. "Explain that for me, Robert."

Goren seemed to withdraw from some distant place in his partner's eyes. "What? Explain what?"

"She's all you have. I don't quite understand what you mean."

"I mean, she's all I have. I have no family, no one I can trust...like her. She's…more than family to me. I trust her to do what's best."

"And your mother?"

He frowned. "I love my mother, but she has never done what is best for me."

Barrett raised his eyebrows at that. "What do you mean?"

He could tell Goren was getting agitated now. "Just what I said. She never made the right decisions."

Barrett made mental note to save that for another time. "Where is she now?"

"Where is who?"

"Your mother."

"At Carmel Ridge. She has…schizophrenia."

"And have you seen her recently?"

"Every Wednesday."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"It would have to have been Wednesday."

"Do you know what day it is today?"

"Uh, no, not for sure."

"It's 3:45 Thursday morning."

"Then I guess I saw her yesterday."

"But do you remember seeing her?"

There was that thoughtful look again. "I…uh, no." He looked concerned. "Doctor, what's wrong with me?"

"You had a head injury. People rarely ever remember the events that occurred right before and after such an injury."

"But there are other things…"

The doctor stood up and laid a reassuring hand on Goren's arm. "Get some sleep, Robert. I can have the nurse give you something if you can't. We'll talk more tomorrow, and see if we can't determine the extent of your memory loss. Ms. Eames is welcome to stay and participate. In fact," he looked at her. "I wish you would."

She nodded. The doctor smiled at her. "Ms. Eames, if I may have a word with you in the hallway."

She squeezed Goren's arm. "I'll be right back, Bobby."

Once in the hall, Barrett turned to her and said, "The mind is a very complicated thing."

Eames smiled. "Well, my partner's mind is more complicated than most."

Barrett laughed. "Maybe so. He…intrigues me."

"There's a new assessment. He intimidates most people, or simply scares the hell out of them. Is he going to be ok, doctor?"

"You care for him very much. That's important to him, and it's going to remain important for his recovery. The brain is an amazing organ, and his has suffered a nasty blow. The function of memory is much like the function of any recording device. It records everything that happens to us. Most things are discarded and forgotten. But other things are imprinted into our long-term memory. We can usually recall these events at will, like pressing a playback button. Robert's playback ability has been damaged, so he is not able to recall some things readily. We call that condition 'retrograde amnesia' when it affects past memories and 'anterograde amnesia' when the patient is unable to make new memories. From what I can tell, his ability to make new memories has been minimally affected. He can't remember the fire, but that is normal. Otherwise, he seems to remember all right—he remembers me, and that we talked earlier. He is somewhat confused and unable to keep track of the flow of conversation, but that, too, is normal following his type of injury."

"But what about this 'retrograde amnesia'?"

"Well, it's not total. He remembers where his mother is and that she is sick. He knows you and remembers that you are his partner. How long have you been partners?"

"Going on six years now."

"Remote long term memory is generally untouched. The fact that he is unclear regarding the parameters of your relationship is concerning. His recent past is locked in his mind. You cannot force the mind to remember, but something will trigger him to recall what he cannot now. You, of all people, must be patient with him, and gently remind him of what he has forgotten. He will become impatient and frustrated, but that, too, is not unusual. I suspect he will lash out at you, because you are his safety net. He probably doesn't even realize it, but he will trust you to never turn away from him, and that will be most important."

She nodded. "You have no idea, doctor."

"Go on back to him. I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Thank you, Dr. Barrett."

She went back into the room and looked at Goren. He was back on his side, staring at the wall, lost in thought. It comforted her to see something so familiar. Crossing the room, she sat back in her chair and looked at him. His eyes had followed her and he now watched her. Reaching out, she lightly caressed his temple. "Go to sleep, Bobby. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?"

She smiled. "Promise."

She continued to lightly run her fingers in small circles on his temple and forehead until he fell asleep.