Author's Note: This is a post-ep for "Siren Call." Its sort of a conversation I wish they would have. I hope you like it. Reviews make nice presents.

Disclaimer: Mine all mine, ha ha ha ha … or not.

Title: We Don't Hug

By: Marion

"You all right?" asked Eames as they drove back to One Police Plaza.

Silence reigned in the SUV. The stricken look on her partner's face troubled her. "Bobby?" she tried again for a response.

He glanced at her briefly then turned back to the window with a sigh.

Her sigh was louder. "I wish I knew how to reach out to you."

He was looking at her sideways now, eyes wide.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm serious. I don't know how to show you that you aren't alone. In anything." Alex was biting the inside of her cheek the way she always did when she was genuinely nervous about what she was saying. "You look out for me. You drive me to therapy, for goodness sake."

"You'd do the same for me," said Bobby.

"Yeah, but you don't talk to me. Its hard to know if you need me, or you'll be mad at me for trying."

"I wouldn't get mad at you …"

"When you don't tell me what's going on with you, its difficult to know what to do. Sometimes … sometimes I just want to hug you. But I always chicken out because I have no idea how you'd react." Eames concentrated on merging into the left hand lane as she spoke.

"We don't hug," said Bobby, mystified by this conversation.

"That was my point. What if we did? Would that be so bad?"

"I don't know," Bobby said stiffly.

"I guess I'm trying to … I dunno …volunteer to be part of your support system," said Alex. "If you'll let me."

"You don't want to do that," he said, turning back toward the window.

"I'm telling you I do," she said more forcefully. She swore under her breath, as she had to swerve to miss a yellow cab.

Bobby looked at her incredulously. "I'm not going to burden you with my problems, Eames."

"You aren't a burden, Bobby. You're my friend."

Bobby made a non-committal sound and turned away again.

"If it hadn't come up in this case, would you have ever told me about your mother?" Alex asked.

"I don't know," Bobby said, refusing to look at her.

"Well, as long as we're clear on the fact that you face things alone by choice," she said.

"Its not important, Eames."

"You are very important to me."

"Wh-what do you want me to say?" he asked, getting flustered.

She turned into the garage at 1PP. She was quiet until she'd parked the SUV and cut the engine. "Maybe: I'll try not to shut you out of my life, Alex," she said finally.

"I can't promise that, Alex," he said. "I'm used to dealing with things alone."

"At least I tried," she said with an exaggerated sigh. "I mean it Bobby. If you need me, I'm here."

He looked over at her, smiling sadly. "I do appreciate it," he said. He got out of the car. She followed suit. "Eames," he said, coming over to her side. She turned to face him and he tugged gently on her wrist and put his arms around her. She tensed for a moment, then relaxed into the embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"It's been a hell of a month, hasn't it," she whispered.

"Yeah," he breathed into her hair.

When she looked up, she could have sworn he had tears in his eyes. She brought her hand to his cheek in a gentle caress. "If you come home with me tonight, I'll cook you dinner."

"I probably won't talk about my problems," he said, flashing her a small smile. "I'm not used to having anybody who wants to hear them."

"Get used to it. You're such a pain in the ass, Goren, but I love you anyway."

He couldn't stop the grin that lit his face.

"C'mon partner, lets go finish that paperwork," said Eames, walking toward the elevator. "We can discuss commiseration over dinner."

"Hey, Eames," he said, following.

"Yeah, Bobby?"

"That wasn't bad. Hugging. We could try it again sometime."

She laughed all the way back to her desk.