Upon the realization that the question she had asked herself had actually been asked out loud, she chose to ask the question. "Seriously, why do I need a partner? I've worked dozens of cases without one."
"True. But how many of them involved your husband?" Alex couldn't shake the logic.
"What time will Dr. Goren be here?" Careful not to call him Bobby, Eames asked her next question. Hanna looked up at her with curiosity. She shrugged to convey just how obvious it was. He smirked.
"He didn't say. I think I woke him up." Alex wasn't sure if he meant to say that last part out loud and to be honest, the captain didn't really know either. Regardless, Alex went back to her desk preparing herself for the great and all knowing Dr. Robert Goren.
Pretending to look through files became increasingly difficult to do as the minutes ticked by. Alex didn't know why but her body had begun to vibrate the moment she sat down. What is wrong with me? That question was becoming more and more prominent and Eames could definitely say she wasn't happy about it. Before she could put her finger on it, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The feeling of eyes on her filled her senses and she knew she had to get out of there. Alex knew she was being paranoid but at his particular moment, she could care less. She quickly stood, grabbed her coat and made a beeline for the elevators, not bothering to make eye contact with anyone who came into her path. What she didn't know was someone was waiting for her outside.
The drive into the city had been a long one and not just because of the unbelievable traffic. The self-interrogation he was currently experiencing was not a friendly one. She doesn't want my help. Of course she does. Why would she come over if didn't. I hurt her. She walked out. Story of my life. Wait. Stop. Don't go there. Shaking his head as if it would make the musings stop. He should've known better. Joe called you. He's her captain. It's not that big of a stretch. It is, though. If she wanted my help, it would've been her call that woke me up, not Joe's. But it wasn't. She doesn't want my help. She needs it. Yeah, she does. Alex Eames hates asking anyone for help. But she did. She asked for mine and I hurt her. Hurt her. Yeah, that's me. I hurt everyone eventually. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he slid the other one down his face and sighed. "Why did I have to pick up the phone?"
He was startled by a guard standing at the gait of the parking garage. "Sir?"
Not realizing he had already made it to the parking structure, he gained some composure and spoke to the man. "Um, Captain Joseph Hanna told me he left a parking pass for me." He showed his ID.
After verifying what he'd been told, he hands the pass through the window. "Here ya go, Dr. Goren."
Bobby nodded and drove away.
Pulling into the space he'd been given, Goren inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly. He turned his engine off and exited the vehicle. His plan to rehearse what he was going to say to Eames was derailed when he saw her come around the corner. Ducking behind his SUV, he waited. Wondered. Waited some more. What do I do? What I am doing? I'm acting like I'm in high school. It's just Eames. But she isn't just Eames. This was Alex. Part of the very minute group of friends he had at the moment. He didn't want to screw it up like he had done in the past. The next words out of his mouth to her had to be perfect. Choosing to stay hidden, he remained in place as she passed by.
Eames, who was in her own world, didn't notice the pair of eyes following her every step. She was praying she wasn't stopped on her way out. Her prayer was answered as she made it to her car. Slowly, climbing in, she allowed herself to release the breath she'd been holding for what felt like her whole life. I just need to get out here. Out of my head. I am not Alex. I am Detective Eames, first grade. She steeled herself inside and out. If anyone was around they would have seen it. The wall come up and Alex Eames get pushed down below a carefully constructed maze of walls and doors. Here she would hide until the work was done. Eames held on to the hope that those walls wouldn't crack under the ever watchful eye of one Dr. Robert Goren.
Bobby snuck to the elevator and rode up to Joe's office. Controlling his breath, he ran over scenarios in his brain. Confident he was prepared, he exited the elevator and headed for Hanna's office. Hanna welcomed him in when he knocked. "Bobby." Joe greeted him with a pat on the back and a smile.
Bobby saw it as a smile of relief. "Hey, Joe." Goren glanced at him, briefly making eye contact. His friend noticed and took in his appearance.
"You look like crap." No malice or judgement. Just a statement. "You get any sleep?"
"Slept like a rock." Goren answered. If a rock consumed an impressive amount of scotch before passing out on the sofa. Then, yeah, like a rock.
The captain scoffed but let it go. Bobby isn't as a good of a liar as he likes to think he is. Sometimes.
Hanna and Bobby sat down on opposite sides of the desk. They went over the information Eames has given her captain earlier. Goren was nodding and taking notes in his ever present binder. Once the rundown was over, Joe asked a question. "What do you think?"
Bobby opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Hanna gestured to him with his pointer finger as if to say 'hold that thought'. "Enter."
Goren looked up and felt the air get sucked out of the room. "One of the guys said he saw Dr. Goren come up here." She kept eye contact with Hanna. Never once looking at Bobby.
"Yeah. We've been looking over the case." He motioned for Alex to sit. She sat in the chair beside Bobby but angled her body to lean away from him. It didn't go unnoticed.
"Hello, again, Eames." He smiled slightly.
Her gaze finally, and suddenly, turned to his. "Doctor." She nodded.
Bobby suppressed the shuddered that tempted his body as he felt a chill flow down his spine. Not Bobby or Goren. Not even Dr. Goren. Just Goren. Of all the scenarios he had thought through, this wasn't one of them. Goren looked into her eyes and saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. With that, an all to familiar question leaked into his head. What did I do to deserve this?