- Francès can you go to your room please... She affectionately caressed her daughter's blond curls.

Frances balked.

Why couldn't she stay?

For once, someone foreign was coming to see them.

She would like to know who this man was.

She was very curious.

Her mother had never brought a man home, nor had any man ever come to see her.

Strange...

This tall man was the only one.

At her mother's insistent look, she complied.

- Mama must speak with the gentleman.

Frances took her book in her hands.

She looked at the tall man.

Who was he?

And why was he so tall...

So many questions crossed her mind, and she wanted to ask them...

Maybe later...

Frances...

Why did Alex's daughter have her dead mother's name...

Could he really believe that this child was hers.

To have at least that little hope.

Alex invited him to sit down.

- Why are you here...

He looked at Alex, contemplating her.

God, she was pretty...

His heart tightened.

Seeing her face again, hearing her voice...

God...

How he had missed her.

He had tried to forget her...

But nothing had helped.

He was madly in love with Alex, and nothing could change that.

- I heard from Lieutenant Benson that you have a little girl...He paused, watching Eames' face for any change. She said something about the promise you made to the girl's father!

Alex gasped, and stepped back.

Nervously she clenched her hands, looking away, not daring to look at him.

Benson how had she guessed that Goren was her daughter's father...

The picture!

She had forgotten that anyone who saw the picture of Frances could relate it to Goren.

Even her father had told her that.

That Frances could not deny her father Robert Goren.

Goren really hoped that Francès was his daughter.

But if that was the case, he should never have left, and left Alex alone.

He should have broken that promise, and come back to her.

To tell her that he loved her, and that he couldn't live without her.

But he was afraid...

Afraid of her rejection.

Afraid she wouldn't want him.

He got up, and approached Eames with slow steps.

Arrived at his height, he took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers.

He plunged his brown gaze into Alex's big hazel eyes.

Damn it...

As always, the great detective Robert Goren had solved the riddle.

From Benson's words, he had understood everything.

And seeing his daughter, his spitting image, had only confirmed what he already knew.

Francès was his daughter.

If she hadn't collaborated with Benson on an investigation, Bobby wouldn't be here right now.

Olivia was far too easy to talk to.

Gently, he brought his hand to her cheek, caressing it.

- Frances ...

He didn't dare say the words.

He was afraid...so afraid that he had made a mistake...

- Is she my daughter?

In his brown eyes, she could read a deep concern.

Alex did not feel like lying to her.

He had the right to know!

- Yes...Francès your daughter... She turned away from him, tears in her eyes. That kid is all you! Her body was shaking with sobs. But there was this promise... Her voice broke. And I...

Eames was trying to hide his tears.

But Goren was not deaf.

He knew her by heart, and he knew she was crying.

This broke his heart.

He had hurt the woman he loved most in the world.

He should have thrown that promise away and stayed with her.

Goren approached her, put an arm around her waist, drawing her to him, and put his hand on her shoulder.

- Alex...

She shuddered.

His voice was like a soft caress in her ear.

She looked up into his tear-filled hazel eyes, contemplating his face.

My God...

How she had missed his face.

The deep brown of his eyes, which were nothing but softness and caress when they rested on her.

The sweetness of her voice.

That he had rarely raised against her.

On the contrary...

With her, he had always been gentle.

- I am truly sorry... His voice was interrupted by sobs. I never wanted to hide it from you! She could hardly breathe, it hurt so much. But there was this promise...

Alex's despair was breaking her heart.

She did not have to blame herself, they were two in this history.

And he too with his faults.

If he hadn't run away from his feelings for her, all this would never have happened.

- Alex, please...Gently, he swung her around to face him. He took her chin between his fingers, forcing her to look at him.

Gently, he brought his hand to her eyes, wiping the tears from her eyes.

- It's not your fault... He noticed something shining around Eames' neck.

His mother's ring.

She had put it around her neck, keeping it on her.

At the sight, his heart sank.

- If I had known...

He grabbed a golden lock of hair, intertwining it between his fingers.

- But Bobby... The promise...

He put a finger on his lip, silencing him.

Gently, he took her face in his hands, brought her face close to his, and took her lips.

His blood ran cold.

He was boiling.

It was so strong!

With his strong arms, he pulled her against him, holding her tight.

Since the time, he had dreamed of this moment.

To taste her lips.

That one night when they had made love, he had wanted so much to kiss her, to know the taste, the sweetness that they had.

But Alex had refused him.

And all because of a stupid promise!

Alex felt her heart waver.

Her legs could no longer hold her.

If Goren hadn't held her to him, she would have fallen to the ground, so strong was her emotion.

Bobby pulled away from her lips, trying to catch his breath.

He plunged his brown gaze into her large hazel eyes.

He brought his hand to her cheek, caressing it.

- Let's forget that promise...

Alex opened her big hazel eyes, where shone the surprise.

She didn't dare to believe...

Hoping for the words he had just spoken.

She had waited so long, so much desired his words.

- I want to be part of your life...and our daughter's!

She nodded her head.

She smiled, and cried.

She brought her hands to her eyes trying to wipe away the tears that were spilling down her cheeks.

- I'm sorry Alex...I'm sorry I left...I'm sorry I ran away...

Alex shook his head in denial.

- It's not your fault.

Not his fault...

He was the one who had proposed that night...Talk about that promise.

He was entirely responsible for everything.

And especially for hurting her deeply.

- I want...you to be part of our life.

Goren could not believe it...

The words they had just spoken...

It was so wonderful.

Crazy with joy, he lifted Alexandra in his arms, twirling her around.

He was so happy.

And God only knew that he had been deeply unhappy without her...

Without his little Alex.

- What's going on?

Goren and Eames turned around at the little voice of little Frances.

Goren gently placed Eames on the floor.

She walked towards her daughter, who was questioning her with her eyes.

She lowered herself to her level, put her hand on her blond curls and caressed them.

She looked at Bobby.

She nodded to him, and returned her attention to Frances.

The time had come to tell the truth to his little girl.

She who had missed a father and never complained...

- Francès...Daddy's home.

At these words, Frances looked at her mother and the big man.

She didn't dare believe...

Didn't realize what her mother had just said.

Daddy is home...

That tall man was really her father...

- Daddy...

Francès looked intensely at Goren with her big brown eyes.

She still didn't realize.

- You are my father...

He nodded his head.

Frances looked at his mother, who nodded.

She nodded, indicating that she could approach him.

Francès hesitated and walked slowly, looking at her mother who encouraged her to go and see this tall man.

When she reached the man, she stopped.

Bobby crouched down at Francès' level, making no move, so as not to scare her away.

She must have been afraid...

Not to understand the situation.

He should not rush her.

Francès hesitated, moved her hand towards his face, but stopped.

She plunged her large brown eyes into the eyes of this man who was her father.

She read there a deep tenderness.

Then she moved her hand forward and gently touched his face.

His skin was a little rough.

But it was real.

This tall man...was her father...

He gave her a tender smile, encouraging her.

So it wasn't a dream.

His daddy was home.

Bobby nodded, opening his arms to her.

Then Frances let her emotions run wild.

She threw herself into his arms, and cried.

Gently, he hugged Frances.

He didn't want to hurt her.

She was so small, so frail.

There was too much difference, too much height, too much weight between them.

One clumsy move, and he could break her.

- Daddy...My little daddy...

Bobby felt his heart break into a thousand pieces at her words.

His little girl was crying, and it was all his fault, and his fault alone.

He had hurt not only Alexandra, but also Frances.

All for a stupid promise.

He would have broken it from the beginning.

Alex, with tears in her eyes, couldn't take her eyes off the scene that was unfolding before her.

They were both so cute.

Goren so big, and Francs so small.

A father and his daughter...

Goren and Frances were the only people she needed in her life.

Bobby gently lifted Frances in his arms.

He stood up, carefully holding his daughter against him.

- You saw mom...How high I am.

Alex smiled, touched.

Bobby held out his hand to Alex.

She intertwined her fingers in his.

Goren pulled her to him, holding her close, and kissed her on the forehead.

In his arms, he had everyone who mattered most to him.

And never again would he run away from his feelings.

Eames was everything to him!

She was his life, his future.

And to think that he had to team up with the special unit, and meet Lieutenant Olivia Benson, for everything to come together.

And above all, for him to finally dare to take the first step!

Benson was very perceptive as a lieutenant.

He'll have to go and thank her.

Who could have said that thanks to a policeman, a colleague, he could finally open his eyes.

And above all, that he no longer runs away from his feelings for Alexandra, and that he assumes them.

- Alex...I love you.