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Chapter 6

Bobby and Alex lay on the floor finishing off the spaghetti dinner, relaxing against the sofa cushions. Alex wearing Bobby's wrinkled button down shirt, and Bobby in some worn jeans he'd left there earlier. They were both comfortably quiet, enjoying the food and the after glow of their first encounter. Neither was very interested in breaking the comfortable silence, with only the tinkle of wine glasses and silverware breaking the quiet.

Stopping before actually licking the plate, Alex set it aside with a sigh. "I guess I was hungrier than I thought I would be," she groaned. "I think that was the best spaghetti dinner I ever had."

Bobby grunted a laugh. "I don't think so, Alex. I think it was all the pre-dinner exercise that made it just seem that good."

Alex giggled a little and snuggled up closer to Bobby. "Hmmm, maybe. It was great exercise though."

He put his arm around her pulling her closer to him, smelling the food, the sex, her perfume and his aftershave on the shirt. He thought it was a wonderful combination of smells. He thought he might be happier at that moment than any other time he could remember. At least, he was more at peace.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?" she sighed, curling even closer to him, circling her fingers into his chest hair.

"I want you to know how happy I am at this moment, happier and more at peace than I can ever remember."

"Me too, Bobby." Then she remembered something and stiffened slightly. Bobby felt it and looked at her curiously.

"What?"

"Bobby, I want you to promise me something. But first, I need to explain why."

"Ok," he said tentatively, not sure where this was leading.

"I want to explain about why I am so scared of having regrets. When Trent was killed, it was awful, but for so many more reasons than that he died in the line of duty. It was everything that went on around his death."

Bobby looked at her, encouraging her to continue.

Alex looked at him, hesitant to continue. She took a deep breath and dove in to her story. "The morning that Trent was killed, I found out that I was pregnant. I was so excited I told him right away," her voice caught slightly at the memory. "He did not share my enthusiasm." The dullness in her voice communicated her sadness at the event.

"Why in the world not?" Bobby asked, astounded at the thought of not being thrilled at having a baby with Alex.

"Well, he was happy enough with the baby idea, but wanted me to quit my job right away. Trent didn't think that cruising the strip in vice was a good occupation for the future mother of his child. We had a huge fight about it that morning. I wasn't going to give up my career, whether in vice or not, and he wasn't going to have me working. He stormed out of our apartment that morning," Alex's voice caught, "and he was shot that night."

Bobby hugged her closer as he saw the tears fall down her face. "Bobby, I never want to have that happen again. I never want to leave in a fight, never want to part from someone I love when we are unhappy with each other. Never knowing how much I love them. That is why I don't want to live with any regrets."

"Alex, what is it you want me to promise?"

"I want us to promise each other that we will never go to sleep mad at each other, and never part from each other in the morning with anything unsaid."

"Anything? Good or bad?"

"Anything, Bobby. Good or bad. I want things resolved, as much as possible, but I want us to always know that we love each other no matter what. Does that make sense?"

"Alex, I love you. I have loved you since I met you. I can't promise that I will never go to bed mad, or withdraw from you, because it is part of who I am, but you need to know that I will always love you, and I will always come back. Can you accept that for now? And if we are ever lucky enough to have a baby together, I will love you and the baby with all my heart and soul. Forever."

Tears welled in Alex's eyes, knowing that she had finally come home. "Yes, Bobby. That is good. I love you too, with all my heart, and if we ever do have a baby, we will watch him or her grow up together."

Bobby looked deep into her eyes, seeing the tears welling there. He leaned over and kissed her eyes, kissing the tears away, following the tears that had already fallen down her cheeks to her mouth, removing all the salty sadness from her face, wanting to replace it only with the happiness and joy that he felt.

"Alex, I love you." Bobby leaned down to Alex claiming her mouth again. She was his, and he would never let her go.

The Man watched the lights go off in Alexandra's apartment, first in one room and then in the bedroom, and he waited for the big cop to leave. After twenty minutes he didn't emerge from her apartment, he almost threw up in a rage. Instead, he punched the alley wall where he stood. How dare she? She was supposed to be agonizing over her husband's death at his hands. Instead, she was apparently making love with her partner, the big, arrogant genius he was growing to hate. She wasn't meant to be with him, but with Him. The anger burned within him. He felt the darkness grow, both in the apartment and in his soul. There would be hell to pay for this betrayal. The bitch. They would both pay for this betrayal of Him and of her husband.

TBC…Dun Dun Dun!