"You okay?"

It was an innocent question, and Detective Alex Eames glanced over at her partner, Detective Bobby Goren.

Bobby simply glanced at Eames, and then turned away. He watched the world pass through the windows of the SUV.

No, he thought. I'm not. A man just KILLED himself in front of his daughter and his wife.

"It's not your fault, Bobby," Alex whispered. "You did everything you could. He was insane."

Bobby was silent, then said softly, "It's not right, Eames. It's just… it's not right."

Alex nodded. "I know, Bobby. I know. But you were brave in there." She was silent for a moment. She knew what she wanted to say would make Bobby upset, but she had to say it anyway. "Bobby… you didn't have to get me out of there. You didn't have to face him alone."

Bobby quickly turned to Alex. "YES I DID! He had a gun, Eames! I couldn't… couldn't lose you… again."

"We could've beaten him!" Alex said.

"It wasn't your fight," Bobby answered.

"The hell it wasn't, Bobby! This was our case!"

"He didn't want you in there anyway!" Bobby shouted.

Alex paused. "Didn't want me in there… but he wanted you?" Bobby didn't answer. "He wanted you in there? Why?" Bobby still didn't answer. "Damn it, Bobby!" Alex snapped. "What happened in there?"

"It doesn't matter," Bobby muttered. Alex suddenly pulled the SUV over to the side of the road, rather abruptly. "Jesus!" Bobby exclaimed, "Be careful, Eames!"

Alex turned and faced Bobby. "You listen, Bobby, and don't you dare interrupt me! I was kidnapped and almost killed two weeks ago. My wrists are still bruised. You take me to therapy once a week. When I was lying in the hospital bed I told you everything that happened. Because I knew you needed to understand what I'd been through. Well now I need to understand what you went through, Bobby, and you better have enough respect to repay my favor."

Bobby looked Alex. "You've been hurt enough, Eames. I don't want to hurt you even more."

"I'll be fine. You won't hurt me. Just trust me."

Bobby turned away and sighed.

"He… he thought I'd lied about my mother. He said he had let you go because… he wanted to kill me, and then himself." Alex inhaled sharply at this. "He even…" Bobby trailed off.

"Even what, Bobby?"

Bobby answered very softly, "He tossed me his cell phone… told me to call my mother, and to tell her goodbye." He rubbed his head with his hands. "He was serious, Eames. I… I didn't know what to do…"

Alex replied, "You called for me."

Bobby nodded. "Yes… you and his daughter. It… it was all I could think of."

"It was the right choice. It distracted him enough for you to get the gun away from him."

Bobby abruptly turned to Alex. "No! I panicked and nearly brought you back into that room!"

"The daughter was with me… he wouldn't have shot me!"

"He would've shot himself!" Bobby screamed. "Can't you see that? He would've killed himself in front of his little girl… who needs him! He… he didn't care about them anymore!"

Alex looked at Bobby and was silent. Finally she whispered, "Bobby…"

"Forget it, Eames. Come on, we've got to go."

"Bobby… you're stronger than that." Bobby faced Eames and saw a small tear in her eye. "You're stronger than that, damn it and I'm telling you that. Even if you don't believe it yourself."