Friday night and well past midnight, five drunk cops lingered outside Delaney's, waiting for their cabs. One sober cop stood nearby, watching with a small, amused smile on his face, judging the degree of intoxication of each one, based on body size and alcohol volume. Three women, not one of them very big. Barek and Benson were close, both in size and the amount they'd had to drink. Barek held her alcohol a little better. But neither was falling down drunk, and he knew why. Benson had been downing only every other shot, so she'd had half as much as her partner. Barek, on the other hand--and she made him laugh--had been slipping every other shot to her partner. That was why Logan was having trouble standing and Eames was holding him propped up against the wall. He was kind of trying to flirt with her, but she could handle him. Stabler held his alcohol very well. He was still unsteady, and he was not a happy drunk, but he wasn't violent either. Just...melancholy...probably because of his recent divorce and subsequent separation from his kids. That had to be hard, and he felt for the guy. Finally, his eyes and his thoughts settled on Eames. The smallest of the group, she'd had the least to drink because he knew how to play pool well. Drunk, yes. But not falling down, won't-remember-this-tomorrow drunk. Just...feeling good. He liked it when she got this way, although usually he was quite a bit ahead of her. For a change, though, it was nice to watch her with a clear mind when hers wasn't.

He walked over to where she was laughing at Logan. "Uh, Mike, you want my couch tonight?"

Logan's place was the furthest from Delaney's, and he had given Goren his couch more than once when they'd been drunk in his area of town. "Sure. You got any food in your fridge?"

"Some."

"Hot dogs?"

"How's bologna?"

"Almost as good."

"I even have bread."

"It's not like the last loaf, is it?"

"No. I picked it up the day before yesterday."

"Great. Is Eames coming with us?"

"Why? Haven't you tormented her enough?"

"Are you pissed?"

"No. Should I be?"

"If you're not then, no, I haven't tormented her enough."

Goren laughed. "She's gonna deck your stupid ass long before I get pissed, Mike."

Logan laughed with him and winked at Eames, who shoved him back against the wall with a smile when he started to topple forward.

As the cabs arrived, Goren made sure the drivers had the right addresses and, knowing from experience how difficult it could be to find your wallet after a full night of drinking, he made sure the fares were paid. Stabler was the last to leave. He looked at Goren, hestitating for a moment to get him into focus. "You know, you're nothing like they say you are."

"Thanks, I think."

Stabler grinned. "It's a compliment. Let's do this again some time." He shook Goren's hand. "Thanks."

"Uh, give your kids an extra hug when you see them."

"Yeah, I will."

He waved to Eames, who smiled and waved back. "Get home safe, Elliot."

Goren turned back toward his partner. "Ready?"

He took over supporting Logan as they headed for the car. He'd done this before, and so had Logan. Finally, Goren shoved him into the back seat of the SUV. "You better not puke, Logan," he warned.

"Nah, I'm fine. I'll wait till we get home."

"I appreciate that," Goren muttered.

He walked around the car and opened the door for Eames. Before she got in, he leaned toward her. "Uh, you are welcome to stay at my place, too, if you want."

She looked amused. "You want me to sleep on the couch with Logan?"

He laughed softly. "No. B-but, you can sleep in the bed."

"And you?"

His mouth twitched. "As you so frequently point out, I don't need much sleep."

"And what would you do if we slept in the bed together tonight?"

He wasn't sure what to make of that, or what answer she was looking for. "I, uh, I would behave myself."

"You got that right," she responded with a smile. "All right, Bobby, I'll stay, but only if you promise you'll get some sleep, too. You're still recovering from getting shot remember?"

"How can I forget? You keep reminding me."

She laughed. "So I do. Let's get going."

He sighed, stepping back and letting her get into the car. He slowly made his way around to the driver's side. What the hell did he just do?

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Goren dropped Logan onto the couch after half-carrying him from the car to the elevator and the elevator to the apartment. King came over to greet them, licking Logan's face. Logan grumbled at him, calling him 'Nancy' before fading back out again. Eames looked at Goren. "Nancy?"

"Uh, yeah, she's a nice girl. He picked her up a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know he was still seeing her, but, apparently he is."

"You have to tell me about your escapades sometime."

"Maybe..."

"With the proper motivation?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I...I am going to step away from this conversation, Eames, before I get myself into trouble." He motioned toward the bedroom. "You know where my shirts are if you want to change."

He watched with a smile as King followed her down the hall, then he went into the kitchen and got a drink of water. Maybe if he waited long enough, she'd be asleep and he could tell her he slept...yeah, that would work...like hell it would. He slowly finished the water, then returned to the living room. Logan hadn't moved. Goren grinned. He went to the hall closet for a blanket and pillow. The bedroom door opened and he glanced toward it, doing a double take. Hell...she always looked good in his clothes. She smiled. "What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

She took the blanket and pillow from him. "Now you get changed." When he didn't move, she gave him a gentle shove. "Go. I'll tuck Logan in."

He watched her walk into the living room. Tuck him in? Lucky bastard...he sighed and went into the bedroom. Well, he'd be damned if he was going to sleep in his boxers, so he changed into a t-shirt and shorts. It was good enough. She came into the room and closed the door. "Relax," she said. "I'm not going to attack you."

She climbed into the bed. She loved his bed--it was very comfortable. But he had always slept on the couch when she'd slept here. Even now, she couldn't guarantee he would lay down beside her. "Come on, Bobby. I trust you."

He knew she did...he just wasn't sure he trusted himself. "Look, Eames...maybe I should just..."

"What are you afraid of? Think you can't behave."

"N-no. It's not that." The hell it wasn't...

"Ok, then."

"I...I need to...get my medicine."

"Ok, then get it. I'm going to sleep."

He felt an odd mixture of relief and disappointment. "Good night, Eames."

She watched him leave the room, laughing quietly when King jumped up on the bed and curled up against her. "At least I'll have a warm body to sleep with tonight," she muttered, stroking the dog's head affectionately as she waited...and waited... Damn, she was glad she was only moderately drunk, or she'd have passed out already. He was so damn stubborn. When she heard him coming, she turned over and pretended to be sleeping, knowing he would never lay down if he thought she was awake. Still, he hesitated. She watched through mostly closed eyes as he paced the room, looked out the window and paced some more. Finally, he muttered something to King, who hopped off the bed and curled up on the floor beside the bed. He slid into the bed beside her, turned his back to her and slowly let out his breath. She tried hard not to laugh. She watched his shoulders slowly relax as he settled in, convinced she was sleeping. And she smiled. Reaching toward him she rested her hands on his back, not surprised when every muscle she touched tensed up. But he didn't jump out of the bed, which was a good sign. Gently she rubbed his back, patiently waiting as his muscles slowly relaxed. She moved closer, sliding her arm across his abdomen and up to his chest, bringing her mouth to his ear. "I know you promised to behave," she whispered. "But I never did."

Fuck. "Eames..." He lost his train of thought entirely when she nuzzled his ear and then his neck. He caught his breath, turning onto his back so he could look at her. But words failed him. Her hand rubbed small circles on his chest and he closed his eyes. Damn...that felt good... He'd promised himself, and her,he would behave...but his resolve was slowly eroding away as she continued. Then she whispered in his ear, "Do you remember what you told me after your surgery?"

He nodded. He remembered. He was mildly surprised when his mouth worked. "I...I...said you should be...kissed...often."

"Not just kissed," she whispered, her breath caressing his face. Her lips brushed their way across his cheek to his mouth and he surrendered, as she knew he would. He lost track of everything, except the passion in her kiss and the fire in her touch. And he returned her passion. He knew just how to touch her, exactly what he needed to do to get her to respond to him...and she did respond...forgetting about everything but him...

She snuggled against him, again gently rubbing circles on his chest. He looked at her from under heavy lids. She smiled. "I kept my promise," she whispered.

He smiled sleepily. His fingers caressed the curve of her side, her hip. "I, um, I tried to behave myself," he muttered.

"Don't worry, Bobby. You did." She snuggled closer. "I wonder how amazing it would be if I was completely sober."

"Amazing?"

"Don't let it go to your head." She kissed him. Then she kissed him again, lingering longer, enjoying the feel of his hand pressing into the small of her back. She pressed her hand into his chest, sliding her tongue past his teeth and listening to his soft groan. His hand slowly found its way past her waist, his tongue dancing with hers. His lips pressed more firmly against hers, and he took her breath away.