A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed. I'm surprised how people react to Leo, but it's a nice surprise. It took me a while to decide what to do with this chapter. This is what came out. Thought it would be fun to get Alex's parents into this one. For the next chapter I don't have any ideas yet. So if you have a suggestion, go ahead. If you see grammar errors let me know. Well there's not much to tell about this chapter. I'm not sure if it'll be liked, but I hope it will.

Chapter five

Alex was happy to be able to relax on her free Friday evening. She treated herself to a nice bath and a glass of wine. Sinking further into the bubbles her mind wandered to her week and stayed on one subject…, Bobby. She hadn't received more gifts and she still didn't know if Bobby had send them. She was a good detective, but had no clue who was sending her the gifts. The entire week Bobby had been more attentive. Walking together he would put his hand on the small of her back more often than normal. She had to admit, it felt… nice. He also held her eyes a bit longer than usual. That was the only evidence she had and it wasn't conclusive. She wasn't willing to acknowledge to herself that the idea of Bobby sending her gifts did a lot to her.

Leo hadn't talked to her much since he'd found out about the 'other guy'. They'd agreed to go to lunch together on Sunday and take a walk in the park. She didn't know how she felt about going on a date with Leo again. Now that Bobby may had decided to make an appearance she was confused. However until she knew more she was going out with Leo.

Before her mind could get lost in her favourite subject, there was a knock on the door. Whoever it was she wanted the person gone. This was not the time. Yet the knocking continued and she had no other choice than to get out of her nice, warm, relaxing bath and open the door.

Ready to blow the visitor off she opened the door. "What?" She said in a curt voice.

Bobby didn't know how to react to Alex's hostile attitude. That and her attire, the bathrobe and wet hair, threw him off guard. "I… eeuuhh.." He tried to make his mind work. Pointing at her tried again. "Hi." It was all he could come up with.

"Bobby?" She took a moment to enjoy his attire; sneakers, blue jeans, a dark grey sweater and his black leather jacket.

"You… I'm sorry, I disturbed you. I'll go." He turned to leave, but a small hand on his arm stopped him from walking away.

"I had to get out some time or I'd end up like a wrinkled old lady. Come on in."

When her small hand slid to his much bigger one and closed around it, he felt the shiver from her touch through his body.

"Give me a moment, okay?" She left him in her living room so she could get changed into something other than her bathrobe.

"So why are you here?" She asked, returning from her bedroom.

"I thought we could watch a movie together."

"What kind?" Alex sat down next to her partner on the couch.

"Hitch."

"Hitch?" She exclaimed. Bobby usually chose thrillers when they watched a movie together. "What brought this on?"

"I felt like watching something different." He knew Alex liked these types of movies. He didn't mind watching them if it meant Alex enjoyed herself. Spending time with her was what he wanted.

"I'll get us some drinks. You start the movie."

They watched the movie together mostly in a comfortable silence. For the second time that evening there was a loud knock on her front door. Reluctantly Alex paused the movie and made her way to the door. Even more surprised than with her first visitor was she with her new visitors.

"Hi, sweetheart." Andrea Eames, Alex's mother, greeted her daughter.

"Mom? Dad? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

"No. We were in the neighbourhood and decided to visit. It's been too long since we've seen you." Alex's father, John Eames, explained.

Alex's mother walked into her daughter's apartment, talking about their visit to their other daughter. "Nathan is growing so fast, Alex. He's such a sweet little boy when he isn't off exploring. Now that he can walk he's discovered a whole new world." All of a sudden Andrea came to a halt in the living room. There was a man sitting in her daughter's living room. John looked past his wife to see why she stopped. He spotted the man, who quickly came to his feet, also, but he recognized the man. It was Alex's partner.

"Detective Goren, isn't it?" John stepped passed his wife to shake hands with his daughter's partner.

"Yes. Hello Mr. Eames." He'd met Alex's father one time at One PP.

"Please, call me John." Seeing his wife was still speechless, he decided to do the introductions. "And this is Andrea my wife. Andrea, meet Detective Goren, Alex's partner."

"Mrs. Eames." Bobby shook hands with the small woman. He saw the resemblance in mother and daughter. Both weren't very tall, but it was mostly the kindness in both their eyes and something he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Call me Bobby."

Andrea seemed to recover after the handshake. "Call me Andrea." She looked over her shoulder to Alex. "You didn't tell me you had company."

"How could I? You were already standing in the living room by the time I got a chance to say anything. Take a seat. What do you want to drink?"

With Alex gone to get drinks an awkward silence settled in the living room. Bobby was still perched on the couch. Alex's parents had each taken a chair.

John decided to break the silence. "So Bobby, how have you been?"

"Fine, sir. And… and you."

"Good."

Andrea Eames, who had only heard of Bobby in conversation but had never actually seen the man himself, observed her daughter's partner. It was obvious that the tall man felt uncomfortable. He seemed kind, though a bit shy. Admittedly the shyness combined with his tall and broad body made him adorable. It was a combination she'd never seen before. Alex had talked about Bobby with her, but he wasn't what she'd expected. He wasn't a typical detective. Maybe that was why he and he daughter got along so well. The big question for her was, why was he in her daughter's apartment on a Friday evening? A good looking man like that probably didn't have a lack of company.

"Do you often spend your Friday evening here, Bobby?"

Bobby swallowed hard and hoped Alex would be there soon to help him out. Staring at the floor he felt her parents' eyes on him. He had to answer the question. "No… not really. We… euuh… we were watching a movie."

"How nice." Andrea looked from Bobby to Alex who walked back into the room with drinks. "And you do this often?"

"Well… sometimes." Bobby gratefully accepted the drink Alex offered him and took a sip. This way he wouldn't be able to answer another question.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Bobby?"

Bobby was lucky he had just taken a sip otherwise his beer would have been sprayed onto the couch. This time Alex did come to his rescue.

"Mom!" Alex warned her mother, shooting her an angry glare.

"What?" Andrea looked innocent. Her husband simply smiled. He'd learned a long time ago there was nothing he could do when she got like that. "It's not like I'm asking him about his sex life. It's a perfectly innocent question."

"What's new with you, mother." Alex helped Bobby out by changing the subject.

After that initial awkward conversation the evening passed along nicely. Before they realized it was time to head back home. Alex walked her parents back to the door.

"Thanks for dropping in. It was nice."

"Sorry we disturbed your movie night." John said, putting his coat back on.

"That's a good man you have there, Alex." Alex's mother pointed out. Taking the coat her husband offered her she continued. "It's no secret how you feel about him." She had watched Alex and Bobby closely that evening and without a doubt she knew her daughter cared a lot more for her partner than normal. And Bobby was a good man and she knew he would never let harm come to her daughter. "Don't let your fears hold you back from happiness, okay?" Giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek, Andrea and John left.

He'd heard the door close a few minutes ago, but Alex still wasn't back. Concerned for her he got up and walked the distance to her front door. There she stood, with her back against the wall, her head hung low.

"Alex? Are you okay?" Slowly he closed the distance until he was standing in front of her.

"Yeah." But it didn't sound very convincing.

Putting his finger under her chin, he lifted her face 'till her eyes met his. "What's wrong?" She'd been happy and talkative the entire evening and now there was a sadness in her eyes.

"Nothing… just …, nothing."

"Alex." He tried again.

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

Knowing he wasn't going to get her to talk, he reached for her coat. With one last look he opened the door. "Goodnight, Alex." He said softly before closing the door behind him. He hated that she didn't confide in him. It was obvious something had happened between Alex and her parents. Was it because of him? Had he done something wrong? He didn't think so. He also didn't know what could cause her such sadness. What had her parents said? There was nothing he could do at the moment. He promised himself he would visit her tomorrow to see if she was all right.

TBC...