Eames looked up from the form in front of her and her eye caught her partner's empty chair. She didn't mind working with Barek, but she missed Bobby. Carolyn was smart, but she was steady and predictable. Over the years, Eames had gotten used to her partner's unpredictability. Being his partner was a constant challenge, and it was one she relished. She found that she worked best when he was there, keeping her guessing. Bobby kept her sharp. Now she had an idea of how he'd felt during her maternity leaves. She felt...lost...adrift in a world that didn't make sense without his perspective. It was a feeling she wasn't used to, and she did not like it at all. Suddenly, she missed him...a lot. She picked up the phone and dialed his hospital room. Hello.

"Hi, Bobby."

The tone of his voice changed, as it always did when he talked to her. Hey, baby. Is everything okay?

"Yes. Why wouldn't it be?"

You don't usually call me in the middle of the day. Not when you're working, anyway.

"We're wrapping up a case, and I missed you."

Silence. I miss you, too. I want to get back to work.

"Well, that's a few weeks away, at least."

Logan will be back on Monday, so you'll at least have him around to keep you amused.

She laughed. "You are more to me than amusement, Goren, and it's more than just at work that I miss you."

Believe me, I'm sick of being here.

"And the nurses are ready to send you home. They don't understand your restlessness. You have too much energy for them."

A soft chuckle. I need Maggie to wear me out.

"Yes, you do. And she needs you." She sighed. "I just wanted to hear your voice. I'll see you tonight."

Um, could you run home and get the kids first? I really want to see them.

"Sure. Try to rest, will you?"

I'll try. I love you, Alex.

She smiled. "I love you, too."

In the two-and-a-half weeks he'd been in the hospital, she'd come by to see him after work every day, bringing the kids up every few days. That didn't suit him or Maggie, but they dealt with it. He had calmed down a great deal as her emotions settled and she returned to herself. He still felt the need to apologize every few days, but now she let him. And she swore to him that he would be making it up to them after he got out of the hospital. He promised he would.

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She pulled into the driveway at her father's, surprised to see Logan's car sitting in the driveway. Ah, well...he was probably missing Maggie. It wasn't the first time he'd been here when she arrived after work. Good...he could come up to the hospital with them. She opened the door, surprised that Maggie didn't come charging to greet her, like she usually did. Logan was sitting on the couch, holding Tommy in his arms. He grinned at her. "Hey there, sweetheart."

"What are you up to, Logan?"

"What makes you ask that?"

"You look guilty."

He shook his head. "Not guilty. Not today."

She eyed him suspiciously but let it drop. "Where's Maggie?"

"In the bedroom."

"Is she feeling okay?"

"She seemed fine."

"And Dad?"

"He ran to the store. He'll be right back."

Giving him another suspicious look, she headed back for the bedroom. She heard him talking softly to the baby, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She smiled at the way the children affected him. He was a different person around Maggie and Tom, and she really liked that side of him. Over the years, she had found herself developing a real affection for Logan, much like the love she felt for her brothers. More than anything else, she appreciated his friendship with Bobby...especially after this last escapade of theirs. There was no doubt in her mind that Bobby would have gone alone, and there was also no doubt in her mind that if he had, she would have buried him. He would have pushed himself beyond his limits and it would have cost him the ultimate price. He was so stubborn sometimes.

Quietly, she opened the bedroom door, and she stopped, surprised. Maggie was standing beside the bed, gently rubbing her hand through her father's hair. He was sleeping. The little girl turned and smiled at her mother. "Look, Mommy," she said quietly, unable to keep the excitement from her voice. "Daddy's home! Uncle Mike bringed him."

"So I see." She approached the bed and leaned over to kiss Maggie. "Go play with Uncle Mike for a little while. You did a great job of helping Daddy settle down."

"Okay, Mommy." She leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. "Will Daddy stay home now?"

"Yes. And he will be home with you for a few weeks before he can go back to work."

"He will?"

"Yes, baby. He will."

"Tommy will be happy, too!"

Excited, she scurried from the room to announce to her brother that Daddy would be staying home with them for awhile before he went back to work. Smiling, Eames gently sat down on the bed beside him. His eyes fluttered open and he stretched, smiling at her. "You're home," he said softly.

"So are you," she answered with equal softness.

"Surprise."

Leaning down, she kissed him, lingering, deepening the kiss. When she sat back, he struggled to catch his breath. Finally, he settled, though with great difficulty. He had been so miserable without her, it had not occurred to him how much his body missed hers. Now, without the overwhelming pain that had distracted him in the hospital, it was reminding him of that fact with a vengence. He slid his hand under her shirt but didn't get very far before the door opened and a little curly head poked itself into the room. "Grandpa's back!"

"I'm coming, honey," Eames replied.

The door closed and he whispered, "Alex..."

She kissed him softly. "Be patient. Come on out and eat dinner with us. Maggie will have her own plate this time."

He laughed quietly. "Uh, speaking of Maggie...where did her bed go?"

"The bedroom across the hall. Dad decided it was time she had her own room here. When Tommy's a little bigger, he'll have one, too. I'm surprised she didn't show it to you."

"I was wiped out when we got here. Your dad chased me in here and Maggie came along. She...wanted to help me."

"When I came in here, she was rubbing your hair."

He smiled. "It was easy to go to sleep with her right here."

"Well, don't expect the same consideration tonight."

He sat up carefully. "Is that a promise, Eames?"

"It's a promise, Goren."

He got up to follow her from the room, but when he came up behind her, he braced his hand against the door before she could open it. Leaning closer, he rested his head against hers, with his mouth beside her ear. "I have missed you," he whispered.

"Really? Do you plan to prove it?"

"For the rest of my life," he promised.

He kissed her cheek and stepped back so she could open the door. She met his eyes briefly before she stepped through the doorway into the hall, letting her fingers trail across his abdomen. He waited for a moment before he followed her; it took that long for him to remember how to move. Alex had disappeared into the kitchen and John was helping Maggie set the table. "Look, Daddy. I'm bein' a big girl and settin' the table with Grandpa!"

"You're doing a great job, mouse."

John smiled at him. "Feeling better, Bobby?"

"Yes, thanks."

"Go sit down. Dinner will be ready in five minutes."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes," Eames answered from the kitchen. "Go sit down."

Maggie slid her hand into his. "Come on, Daddy. Come talk to Tommy. He's not bein' a big boy yet and I wanna play catch."

He laughed softly, glad it no longer hurt so badly. He glanced at his wife, who shrugged and said, "You keep telling her he'll be big enough soon. Soon to a three-year-old is later this afternoon."

"It only seems like it goes that fast," he muttered as he let his little girl lead him over to the couch.

When he sat beside Logan, she climbed up between them. Logan handed the baby to his father, not missing the wince when Goren took him. "Getting big, isn't he?"

"He sure is." He set the baby on his lap and said, "Look at you, you little monster. You're growing like a weed."

Maggie giggled. "He's not a weed, Daddy. He's a baby."

He looked at her. "What's a weed?"

"Dandylions!"

He and Logan both laughed. "How did you know that?"

"I heared Grandpa say it. They grow in the grass and he tells them 'dam weeds'."

Both men laughed harder and Eames glared at her father, who shrugged. "Sorry, honey. That was last summer. What a memory that little girl has."

She shook her head as she set the potatoes on the table. "She's her father's child, Dad. I swear I'm fighting a losing battle here."

John kissed her cheek. "She'll be just fine, Alex."

"Until she goes to kindergarten and starts being colorful. I'm putting that on all three of you."

Goren looked over his shoulder. "What'd I do?"

"You keep teaching her those German drinking songs, that's what."

"No one's gonna know what she's saying."

"Forgive me for being suspicious when you won't tell me what she's saying."

"Trust me, Alex. She's fine."

"Yeah, yeah. Like I said, you can deal with it when the principal calls about her multi-lingual skills."

"Does that mean I can teach her to swear in German?"

"No, it does not!"

He laughed again and turned back to the children. Gently rubbing his ribs, he muttered, "I thought laughter was supposed to help with healing. At this rate, it's going to kill me, if my wife doesn't first."

Logan laughed as Eames lightly smacked the back of Goren's head. Leaning over, she said, "Well, if you need more healing time, I can wait."

He looked at her. "I can't," he replied, kissing her lightly.

She lightly caressed the back of his neck and turned her attention to the baby. "Would you look at him?"

"When did he start smiling?"

"Now."

Maggie bounced onto her knees. "I telled you he was happy you're home, Daddy."

"You did, and you were right."

Eames leaned over the back of the couch and lifted the baby from Goren's lap. "Dinner is ready. Help Maggie wash up, one of you."

Goren kissed the side of Maggie's head. "Let Uncle Mike help you wash up, baby."

"Okay, Daddy." She grabbed Logan's hand. "Come on, Uncle Mike."

Goren stayed on the couch for a minute. "Bobby? Are you okay?"

He waved a hand at her and nodded, waiting for the flame in his chest to dull. She appeared beside him with a glass of water and a pill. "Dad filled your prescription."

He knew better than to argue with her, so he took the medicine and got up to head for the table. "Thanks, John."

"I've been in your shoes, son. It's better to just take it. You won't need it for long."

Eames was dishing up Maggie's dinner. "As long as Maggie stops pouncing on you, you won't."

"She can pounce all she wants. She's not going to hurt me."

"Bobby..."

"Come on, Alex. She weighs all of, what, thirty pounds?"

"Not quite."

"I can handle Maggie."

"Just don't push it. I swear if you end up back in the hospital for doing something stupid, I won't come to see you."

"You don't mean that."

"Want to try me?"

"No."

"All right, then. Do you feel up to watching him, too, Dad?"

"I'll keep an eye on him."

Goren frowned. "I don't need a babysitter."

"That's a matter of opinion. Somebody needs to keep an eye on the two of you."

Logan was approaching the table, carrying Maggie. "What'd we do now? You've been home for three hours. How'd you get us in trouble already?"

"It was easy. All I had to do was talk."

"Well, stop it. I'm tired of being in trouble."

Maggie climbed up into her chair. "Who gots in trouble?"

"No one, baby," Eames replied, kissing her head as she set her plate down in front of her. "I was just telling Daddy to be careful until he's better."

"He's outta the hopsital. Isn' he better?"

"Not quite."

"Then I will help him get better. Okay, Daddy?"

"Sounds like a plan, mouse." He glanced at his wife, not surprised to see her laughing quietly.

Eames met his eyes and silently blew him a kiss. Sometimes it was worth it that he couldn't tell Maggie no.