Chapter 8

Bobby carefully wrapped the bandage around Julia's left ankle, which was quite swollen. She winced as he pulled the bandage tight and pinned it in place.

"Thanks," she said, breathing deeply. "I don't know what I was doing. I should have been watching my step." She shook her head in frustrated apology. Bobby stood up off the side of the cheap hotel mattress and Julia bounced up as the mattress rebounded from under the weight.

"It's OK," he said.

"No, it's not OK," she said apologetically, still shaking her head. "You had to carry me instead of the sapphire; They know it's us now; we'll never be able to get the Sapphire undetected now- Marjorie will have it cut any day now! We're so screwed!"

"Shh, relax," he said, kneeling down in front of her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's OK. I've handled situations much tougher than this one. I can still do it- we can still do it. And besides- it wasn't a total bust... You sent Marjorie's car up in flames; something I'd gladly do any day."

At this she smiled. "I wish you could have seen it. It was awesome."

"How did you do it, anyway?" he asked curiously.

She blushed a little and nodded her head to the left in embarrassment. "Don't be mad at me, but... I had called my captain earlier and he had backup waiting for me... just in case..."

Bobby looked down for a minute, thinking about the consequences of the authorities knowing... "You have a tear in your dress," he said, reaching down to touch the torn hem of her skirt.

"Stupid thing," she muttered bitterly, examining it with her fingers. "They're cheap, but they're dead comfortable," she added in a much lighter tone. Her hand brushed Bobby's as she pulled it away from the tear. A spark of electricity shot between them.

Bobby looked up at her. Her chocolate hair was a mess and she had dirt all over her face and dress. She looked wild. Had he really only known her for a day? It felt like a week at least. And Bobby's not usually the fast type, but...

He suddenly leaned up and kissed her. She immediately began to kiss him back and within a minute they were rolling around on the bed...

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Julia sat up, her bare chest covered by the top sheet of the bed. "Robert," she said softly, nudging the man beside her. "I need to go to my room and get some fresh clothes..."

The pillow his cheek was pressed against muffled his mumble.

She quietly got out of the bed, wrapped herself in a towel, gabbed the yellow dress off the floor, and disappeared into the hallway.

She limped 2 rooms down the hallway, grabbed a fresh (blue) dress from her room, and wet back to Bobby's room to shower. She got out and heard the hotel TV on. The language was Arab, but that didn't seem to faze him.

She was buttoning up the front of her dress when she said, "Tell me about life in New York. I've never been."

"It's really big and really busy."

"That's all?" she asked teasingly. "I bet it's fascinating." She braided her wet hair.

"I suppose. I don't really get a chance to experience it beyond work." He sounded bored.

"Do you work alone?" she asked.

"No, I have a partner."

"Oooh- tell me about him. Is he as cute as you?" She asked, poking her head around the wall to smile at him.

Bobby grinned. "It's a her."

"Oh. Is she pretty?"

"I guess; I never really paid close attention."

"Tell me about her," she said, going back into the main room to sit on the edge of the bed and wiggle Bobby's toes through the sheet.

"She's short- about 5'4, I think. She's got medium blonde hair, an attitude that's apparently genetic- she's a total smart-ass," he said smiling. "She's always making ridiculous off the cuff remarks, being bitchy to suspects, and generally ballsy."

"And you're just the quiet one?" she teased.

"I didn't use to be, but Eames has her way." Julia saw the look in his eyes and knew he was thinking about his partner. He suddenly snapped back. "Why the interest?"

"I'm just curious to know all about your exciting life," she said, snuggling up next to him.

He laughed openly. "Hardly. Tell me about you. Do you have a partner who's as sexy as you are?"

"No," she said almost wistfully. "He's a looker, but he's already got a girl. Doesn't really think much of our partnership actually. Just goes about his business. I usually follow his tracks. But he's dumb as a rock. Half the time it's me doing all the digging around."

"Same with Eames- she does all the digging."

"If she does all the research, then how come you're the one doing all the chasing? The Margo Sapphire, things of that nature?"

"I'm not sure," he said smiling. "Gary just found me. I used to do this all the time, but it's been ages. I haven't done this since before Eames and I were paired up..."

"Who's Gary? Johnny was a little vague on the details..."

"The Director of the Smithsonian."

"Oh..." She stopped asking questions and snuggled in under Bobby's arm as they watched the TV.

Bobby thought about Alex back in New York. He wondered if she was reading the magazines or not. He thought about her knowing about what her does. And he thought about Julia knowing too- how many more people would he blab to? And how many would be one too many?

He would call Gary and Alex in the morning. Gary would already know what had happen, but Alex... well, he just wasn't sure what she would say... And what he had said about her. He had never really thought about her in that way before. She was always his rock, never someone to be examined for looks or character. He didn't know what he thought of... what he thought. But the more he though about her, the more he missed her- and he was only 2 days out...

Looking at Julia lying beside him, he quickly drove all of those thoughts out of his mind for the time being. He would have time to examine his life back in New York once he was back in New York- right now; he was back in action...