She's Gone

Disclaimer: These characters are totally Dick's and I just go to bed at night praying for them to be mine but alas, it shall not be for I am one broke chick.

A/N- Thanks for the reviews! I'm trying to cheer it up a little (as evidenced by Mike in the last chapter) – it depresses me to write this, but I feel I write depressing stuff well. But I thank you guys for sticking with me! Also, some one gets some in this chapter. Heehee!

Carolyn watched as Nan maneuvered her way around the living room. "She sounds a lot better, Bobby," she called out to Bobby. Bobby came out of the kitchen where he was making breakfast for Nan. He came out and sat on the couch beside her. Nan ran to him and he deftly lifted her into the air, a smile erupting on his face as she giggled.

"Let's get you fed, Madchen." Bobby stood and took his daughter into the kitchen. Carolyn thought for a second, and then followed them into the kitchen.

"Madchen?" She smiled at Bobby. Bobby looked up at her.

"Yeah, it's German. It means girl."

"I know what it means. I speak a million different languages. I picked up a little German." She nudged him and sat down. "Let me feed her, you go take a shower." Bobby reluctantly relinquished the spoon to Carolyn and got up. He paused just before going into the bathroom.

"Thank you, for staying last night. And for coming over in the first place. I appreciate it." He smiled at her and went to take his shower.

Carolyn thought to herself while feeding the baby. She had never seen him look like that before. She had to admit it scared her. He didn't even look like that at the funeral. She looked down at the baby's bowl. "All done! Time to get you cleaned up!" The baby clapped and laughed. Carolyn wiped off Nan's face and pulled her out of her high chair, letting her toddle off into the living room. She heard Bobby get out of the bathroom. Nan heard as well and pointed, making her question baby noise. This was one smart kid. Bobby joined them in the living room.

"So, how did I get this bruise on my head?" Bobby pointed to a purple mark just above his left eye. Carolyn looked embarrassed.

"I might have hit you, in my sleep."

"What dream was it this time?" Bobby fingered the bruise lightly while engaging Nan in a wooden puzzle of the alphabet.

"It was a find Alex dream." Carolyn looked at the pictures she had cleaned up from the night before. Bobby nodded to himself, while keeping up banter with Nan. "So is Mike coming over right from work?"

"Yeah. I told him to bring Lynn. I'm trying to make an effort."

"Well, calling off on both of them – Lynn's probably thrilled to pieces with you. Now she's stuck with Mike." Carolyn laughed at the thought of Lynn and Mike trying to work together. They couldn't be more opposite. Bobby cocked his head to the side.

"You don't think they'd do well?" He fit Nan's hand with another puzzle piece.

"Well, take how incredibly straight-laced she is and how much of a smart-ass Mike can be…oh yeah, they'll do fine," Carolyn said sarcastically. "I'm a little hungry. Is there anything good in this neighborhood besides Chinese? It's a little early for that."

"Well," Bobby thought for a second, "there's a deli around the corner. Best prosciutto around. And melon –"

"Oh and risotto!" Carolyn was getting hungry. "All right, you got me. Where is this place?"

"It's across the street. Too early for Chinese but we're going to have risotto?"

"Not my fault you brought up prosciutto." Carolyn grabbed her purse and left. Bobby thought to himself while entertaining Nan. He felt kind of embarrassed that he let himself break down like that in front of her, that he asked her to stay. He shook his head, fed up with himself.

Later, that same day…

"Are you sure it was okay for me to come?" Lynn walked at a quick pace to keep up with Mike. They had both went home to change. Mike was wearing a very flattering pair of dark rinse boot-cut jeans and a t-shirt with his leather jacket. Lynn herself changed into a pair of jeans and threw on a Kelly green v-neck sweater. Mike turned to look at her. The sweater against her hair made her eyes pop. He smiled and turned around. She's way too young for you, Mike thought. She tripped suddenly, reaching out for his arm to stop herself.

"Whoa kid! Have you already gotten into the booze?" There was that smile again. Lynn steadied herself.

"No, I have not been drinking. I would've had to start drinking at work and I certainly haven't done that." Oh shut up! Lynn cringed inwardly. Why was she being such a moron? They reached Bobby's apartment and he buzzed them in. In the elevator on the way up, Lynn stole a glance at Mike. He caught her looking at him.

"I'm too old for you," he said tauntingly. Lynn's heart skipped a beat, and she could feel herself start to turn red.

"What are you talking about? Are you always this self-absorbed?" Shit. Even her eyelids were burning.

"I know what you were thinking because I was just standing here thinking that you were too young for me. Chill out, Cherry." The elevator stopped. Lynn followed Mike out.

"Cherry?"

Mike snorted. "Between your hair and the color your face takes on when you're embarrassed, yeah. Cherry." He punched her in the arm lightly. As if it were possible, Lynn felt herself get redder. The door opened, revealing Carolyn and an adorable blonde baby. There was no mistaking – this was Alex's kid. Only the nose gave away the fact that Bobby was her dad.

"Oh Lynn, I'm glad you could come. Come in." Carolyn stood back from the door, letting Lynn in first, Mike bringing up the rear, giving Carolyn a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello trouble!" Mike reached to take Nan from Carolyn. Nan laughed. Bobby came into the kitchen.

"Uh, hello Lynn. We didn't know if you were going to come." Bobby looked at her. He looked like hell.

"Well, thanks for inviting me. What's your daughter's name again? Nan?" Bobby nodded. "She is a cutie." Lynn smiled at him. She was rewarded with a small one back.

"Thank you." Bobby greeted Mike, stealing his daughter back from him. "Let's all go sit down." The group made their way to the living room. Bobby put Nan down and she toddled over to Lynn.

"Eh eh?" Nan pointed to Lynn and looked over at her father. Bobby smiled.

"She wants you to pick her up." Lynn granted the baby's wishes. Nan settled in against Lynn, sucking her thumb, observing. Lynn smiled.

"She looks like you, minus the thumb-sucking." Bobby grinned, clearly proud of his child.

"Well, she's tired. Let me put her to bed." Bobby came over and took Nan from her. Carolyn looked at Mike looking at Lynn. What was going on there? Carolyn wondered.

"Sorry I called in on you today. It was a rough night."

"No problem at all. Lynn and I did just fine without you guys, didn't we kid?" Mike winked at her, his hands laced behind his head.

"Just great." She could feel herself going red in the face again.

"Lynn, are you okay? You look a little flushed." Carolyn stood up to put her hand on her forehead. "Are you all right?" Oh that's just great.

"No, no I'm fine! Do you have something to drink though? I'm a little thirsty." Lynn dared not glance at Mike. Mike, on the other hand, stared right at her, trying not to laugh. He caught Carolyn watching him and straightened out.

"Yeah, what's Bobby got to drink around here?" Mike stood and went into the kitchen.

"Lynn, I'll be right back. He likes to get at Bobby's good beer." She ran into the kitchen after him, leaving Lynn all alone in the living room. She looked around at all the pictures. It was evident how much Bobby missed Alex. She settled back into the couch.

"Mike Logan. She's too young for you." Carolyn stood in front of him, arms crossed.

"I know." Mike tried to get around her, but she blocked him.

"What's going on there then?"

"Carolyn, absolutely nothing, I promise." Mike held up his hands in surrender. "Now, can I get our guest a beer?" Carolyn looked at him suspiciously.

"Fine." She grabbed a beer for herself and Bobby. Mike gestured to her.

"After you." He smiled at her. What was her problem? It's not like he was completely incapable of keeping it in his pants. Stupid move in 3,2,1…"Hey, what's going on between you and Bobby?"

One Hour Later…

"Mike? Another beer?" Bobby grinned at Mike, who was holding an icepack to his eye. He pulled it back, and Lynn cringed. She had no idea what was going on, just that Carolyn hauled off and punched Mike in the eye. She heard the yelp and ran into the kitchen to find Mike lying on the floor, Carolyn breathing hard and fast glaring down at him. Bobby had run in right after her and looked around.

"Did we all funnel beers while I was putting her to bed or something? What'd I miss?" Carolyn pushed her way past Bobby and went into the bathroom. Lynn followed her in but she wouldn't say anything. She just cried. Lynn rubbed her back until she calmed down enough. They came back out and Mike pulled her into a hug, telling her he was sorry. They all piled into the bathroom again to look at his eye, which was starting to bruise and was swollen shut. All Bobby had in the way of an ice pack was a teething ring of Nan's. He put it in a baggie and handed it to Mike.

"I have teeth. I'm good."

"Put it on your eye, idiot." Carolyn rolled her eyes at him. "I'm sorry I hit you, but you need to keep your mouth shut sometimes." She took a swig of her beer and handed Mike one as well.

"A teething ring and a beer. I'm doing good tonight." Mike smiled.

And so there they were, Mike with his swollen eye, Carolyn was subdued and Bobby was grinning to himself. Lynn was just plain confused.

"I'll get him one. I need a refill myself." Lynn went into the kitchen, berating herself for thinking Mike still looked good with a black eye.

The Long Drive Home…

"We can go back to my place." Mike was arguing with Lynn. They were sitting in the taxi they had hailed outside of Bobby's apartment. She gave her address to the cabbie and they were on their way.

"Tough." Lynn was pleasantly buzzed; Mike was just drunk. To his credit, he kept himself in check. She had let her bun loose and her hair was cascading over her shoulders, the streetlights passing by casting her in an orangey light that made her look, well, hot. Mike groaned and looked out the window for the rest of the ride. They arrived at her place; she paid the cabbie and let them in.

"I'll grab you a blanket for the couch." Lynn moved to her linen closet, grabbing said blanket and coming back into the living room. Mike was standing in the middle of the room, observing. "How's your eye?"

He turned to her. "Still hurts."

"Let me see." She pushed him down on the couch, turning the lamp on beside them. She bent down and looked at his eye closely. "That is going to look really nice tomorrow. What'd you say that she hit you like that for?"

Mike wasn't concentrating. Well, he was. He was just concentrating on not pulling her face down to his. He shook his head. "Uh, I asked her what was going on with her and Bobby." Lynn looked at him, surprised.

"After the speech you gave me back at work? You are an ass." She fingered his eyebrow carefully. He flinched. "Sorry. Do you want more ice?"

She was so close. Mike shook his head, trying to turn away from her before he did something stupid. She grabbed his chin, making him look at her. "You're drunk." It was a statement.

"Yeah, you're not helping." Mike took her hand off his chin.

"Not helping what?" She knew what was going on. She sat next to him on the couch.

"Uh, matters." Mike closed his good eye as she put her chin on his shoulder, whispering in his ear.

"Describe these matters to me." She kissed the side of his neck lightly. Maybe she was more than just buzzed.

"Can't." Mike turned his head slightly towards her.

"Fine." Lynn grabbed his chin again, pulling him closer to her. She kissed him lightly on the mouth. Mike reciprocated the action. She got up and led him back to her room.

Bobby's Apartment…

Carolyn walked along the side of the beach, trying to catch up to Alex. "Alex, wait!" Alex turned around and waited for her to catch up. Carolyn arrived, out of breath.

"I wasn't even walking that fast. You have to keep up, girl." Alex turned away from her again and started walking. Carolyn kept up this time. Alex looked over at her. "You know I have to go soon, right?"

Carolyn looked at her friend. "Don't go, Alex. Please don't."

Alex shook her head, a small sad smile on her face. "We go through this every time. I have to leave. You're doing a good job. Thank you." Alex squeezed her friend's hand and then walked out into the water. Carolyn kept walking. Then she woke up.

She was crying, but there was no panic. She waited, breathing in and out deeply. The paralysis wasn't there either. She turned over on the couch. Something was different. She sat straight up, realizing what had happened. Or rather, what hadn't happened. No gunshot. She smiled. Well that had to mean something. She settled back to sleep.

A/N – Hope y'all enjoyed that.