Eames pulled into the driveway of her parents' house. It was late, well after the supper hour, and her mother was probably sleeping. But her dad would be up, and he was the one she wanted to talk to. The front door was still unlocked; he was still up. She went in to the house.

John Eames looked up from his paper. "Alex? What are you doing here so late?"

"Hi, Dad. I came by to talk to you."

"Sure. Sit down. You want some coffee or something?"

"No, thanks."

He folded his paper and got up from his chair, moving to sit beside her on the couch. He tried hard not to play favorites with his children, but he had a special place in his heart for this one. She was most like him, and he was very proud of her. Three of his kids were cops, but Alex had done the best. She had the instinct and the guts to be a great cop, and she was. He'd worried about her when she worked vice, but transfering to Major Case was the best move she could have made for her career.

"You look tired, honey."

"It's been a long week."

"Week? Alex, it's Tuesday. Rough case?"

She shook her head. "We don't have a case right now."

"Is Bobby ok?"

When she looked away, thinking he wouldn't notice the tears that suddenly welled in her eyes, he knew he'd hit the nail on the head. Something was wrong with her partner and that worried him; he liked Bobby. He thought about what to say, finally reaching out to take her hand. She still wouldn't look at him. "Honey?"

"He drives me crazy sometimes, Dad."

"Alex, I always believed that being partnered with him was the best thing that could have happened for your career. I wasn't wrong. But I wonder if personally it was a good move for you."

She looked at him suddenly, and he was pleased to see the fire in her eyes. "I don't want anyone else for a partner. We are good together and I love being partners with him."

"Because you love him?"

"That has nothing to do with it..." She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, mortified at what she'd just said.

John nodded. He'd thought as much. "It's ok, Alex."

"No, Dad. It's not ok. Do you have any idea what it would do to him if Deakins splits us up?"

"Does he know?"

"That I'm in love with my partner? No. No one knows. Not even Bobby."

"How do you think Bobby feels?"

"I have no idea. I don't even know where he is right now."

"What do you mean?"

"His girlfriend broke up with him on Sunday and she said something that sent him into a tailspin. He took some time off and all I know is that he's somewhere in Connecticut."

"What did she say?"

"He won't tell me. All he says is that he needs space right now."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Part of me wants to track him down and slap him in the head. The other part wants to hug him and tell him it'll be all right."

"Which part is winning?"

"The part that wants to smack him."

He laughed. He knew his daughter. "Alex, you need to find out what triggered this."

"And how do I do that? He won't talk about it."

"Come on, sweetheart. You're a detective. Don't stop thinking like one just because he's your partner."

"And what do I do when I find out?"

"Once you know the reason, you'll understand how to handle him. You always do."

She studied her father. "Is there something you're not telling me, Dad?"

He shook his head. "You'll figure it out." He kissed her forehead. "It's late. Why don't you stay here tonight? I'll get you up at six."

She nodded. "Thanks, Dad. I'll get my bag out of the car." She always kept an overnight bag with a change of clothes in the car. She got tired of rushing home after spending the night on Bobby's couch. It happened often enough that she got smart and stashed her overnight bag in the back of the car.

John watched her leave. He hated that she was upset, but this was for her and Bobby to work out. He'd said enough. It wasn't his place to tell her that her partner was in love with her, too. A few months ago, she'd brought him over for a barbecue. At first, he'd seemed nervous, but the family quickly put him at ease. After all, he was Alex's partner. That made him family, too. John had watched him and Alex while he flipped burgers on the grill. His initial impression of them was that they enjoyed a close friendship. He continued to watch them, and as they relaxed after a few beers, he noticed something no one else seemed to. Bobby was warm and affectionate with Alex, which fit the role of best friend, but when she stepped away and he got to watch her from a distance, something about him changed. It was subtle, almost non-existent, but John had enough experience in observing people to see it. He didn't know Bobby as well as Alex did, of course, but he'd spent enough time around him to see the change. It was something he was careful to hide from her, and it vanished when she turned her attention back to him, but John knew what it meant. Bobby was in love with his daughter. He wondered if he even realized it; his reactions seemed subconscious. He sighed. They'd work it out, one way or another.

Alex came back into the house. He hugged her and kissed her forehead. "It'll all be okay, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Dad. Thanks."

She sat down on the couch and let out a heavy sigh. Be a detective, huh? All right. She was up to the challenge. After all, she had nothing better to do during her work hours right now. Figuring out her partner could be a full time job.

When her phone rang, she pulled it from her pocket and looked at the number. She smiled. He never forgot her... She flipped the phone open and softly said, "Hey, you."