They remained standing outside the ambulance. Bobby winced as he alternatively placed the ice pack on his right and left cheek. He glanced at her. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Jay shook her head. "No, he said I'll be fine, just some bruising." She pulled the blanket closer to her body.

"Then we'd better get going then." He spoke softly, leading her towards the car that waited for them.

She sat beside him but he felt like she was sitting miles away from him. With a sigh, he reached for her hand. She didn't pull back but the coldness of her palm didn't bring him any comfort.

She wasn't sure what to think. She loved him and trusted him but she still felt betrayed. She knew he loved her, probably since the day they met. But in the last two weeks she saw a new, terrifying side of him, the side that kept secrets from her, whether he meant to or not. He was good at keeping secrets, of course, his job demanded discretion, and she did trust him before…before everything that happened that night.

He squeezed her hand and she raised her eyes, realizing that they stopped at the hotel entrance. Before she had a chance to flee from the car, he took hold of her other hand. "I am sorry." He repeated and she knew that the words were hollow to his ears as well. "Tell me what to do to make it better."

"I can't." She was surprised when her voice came out calm and collected. "I need time to think…that's all."

He moved his hand to her cheek and it brought him hope when she didn't flinch away from his touch. "I love you."

She was quiet for a long time. "I know…"

John Morino was behind bars and considering all the charges and evidence against him it was likely that he would stay there for a while. Jack clenched his jaw and unclenched it, reaching out for a paper clip and slowly untangling the piece of metal. It was clear that Morino didn't play any games. He intended to kill both Jay and Bobby and he wouldn't have shown any mercy. His fingers curled tight around the paper clip and he winced as it pierced through his skin. If Jay hadn't called him…he shook his head, he couldn't bare the thought. Slamming his fist on his desk, he rose from his seat, pacing the empty bullpen.

"Let's go home Jack." Her soft voice startled him and he whirled around to face her.

"I can't go home." He replied. "I keep thinking about it. Sue, how could he be so stupid and not say anything for two weeks?"

"He was trying to protect us." She smiled gently. "He couldn't see that it wasn't the right thing to do."

"Protect us?" She couldn't hear him but she guessed that he shouted from the fury in his eyes.

"How many times have you protected him over the years?"

His shoulders slumped. "I would have killed him if anything would have happened to him and Jay."

Sue smiled gently. "I know, I would have helped you."

He continued his pacing for a few more minutes before facing her again, leaning against his desk. "He could loose everything he worked for…when they find out about his…" He bit his tongue, averting his eyes from hers. It wasn't his secret to share and even though she was his wife, that still didn't give him the right to tell her about Bobby's problem.

"About his gambling problem…" Sue completed the sentence and smiled when he opened and closed his mouth several times. "I didn't mean to read your conversation back then but I was worried because you were worried about him." She trailed off, moving closer to him, relieved when he enveloped his arms around her. "What ever happens, he is still our friend and he's a good man."

"I know…nothing can change that."

"Let's go home; we might actually manage to get some sleep."

He leaned his head closer, pulling her to a gentle kiss. Her tongue met his and she felt his hands clutching at her shirt. The kiss deepened and he smiled into her lips, his hands slowly trailing lines and shapes on her back. "Let's go home."

She completely lost it in the shower, her tears mingling well with the hot water. She had to lean into the cold tiles, the sobs wrecking her body. She had no idea how long she stood there but the water was cold and Bobby's voice, quiet and worried pulled her out of her breakdown. Wrapped in a large towel, she examined her face in the mirror, the purple bruise angry and painful. She eyed the black lingerie with disgust, her silk robe was torn, and so were her stockings. She felt dirty, those clothes were meant for him alone…no one else.

Finally walking into the small bedroom, she found some sweatpants and sweatshirt with the hotel logo. She smiled at the underwear and comfortable looking socks. She ignored the bra that was neatly folded beside them and hurried to get dressed, her wet hair falling on her shoulders. When she walked out of the bedroom, she found him sitting on the sofa, dressed in clothes similar to hers, his head leaning backwards, his hands covering his face.

"Bobby?" She kneeled beside him, her hand resting on his knee.

He removed his hands from his face, smiling a half a smile at her. His eyes were bright and red and his jaw was clenched hard. When he spoke, his voice was low and shaky. "SOG guys brought us some bagels and doughnuts, there's also juice and coffee, if you want to." He trailed off, his eyes moving towards the window. "It will be morning soon."

"I don't want to eat." She said, pausing for a moment. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He replied immediately, his bright eyes darting away from hers.

"Bobby…" Jay moved her hand to his cheek, forcing him to focus on her. "What ever happens next, we'll get through it."

He wouldn't have thought it possible that the burning in his eyes and throat could intensify but it did and he was having trouble with talking. "W…we? I didn't think…there…was a 'we'…anymore…"

She stood sharply, moving to straddle him on the sofa. "Shut up and listen to me, Bobby Manning." She shook her finger at him. "I will not let you push me away just because you think it's the better thing to do. When we decided three months ago that we were officially together, that meant that we are together even when things turn out to be a little more difficult. And don't you think for a moment that I trust you as blindly as I trusted you two weeks ago or that I won't be looking after you, because I will." She paused to take a breath. "That's what girlfriends do, it's part of the job description, part of loving you…whether you like it or not. Who would I worry about other then you? Just like you insist on calling to make sure I made it home, I will call to make sure you're going to your meetings…" She trailed off when she noticed his tears, overflowing his eyes as he blinked furiously. "Oh, Bobby…" She pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, his sobs terrifying her because she had no idea what she could say to make it better.

"I could have lost you today." He whispered, tangling one of his hands in her hair and holding on tight.

"I'm alright." She whispered, moving away a little so that she could look at him. His tears stopped and she quickly removed any trace of them with her thumb, smiling at him.

Bobby shook his head, gently tracing the heavy bruise on her cheek. "They hurt you and the way that man looked at you…"

"Those were meant for you." She whispered, her fingers moving to his chest. "I planned a great seduction game."

He smiled gently, his eyes darkening. "I'm sure you did." His other hand at the small of her back, he brought her closer but hesitated, their lips almost touching. He winked at her, finally looking a little like the Bobby from two weeks ago. "I like red better." He teased.

She arched an eyebrow. "I bet you do but since my first seducing act had turned out to be such a failure, I'm not sure if I'll make another attempt."

He trailed his hand up and down her back, creating delicious shivers that climbed up her spine. "You don't need to seduce me, Juliet." Her eyes turned a shade darker and he couldn't hold back his grin. "I love you and I want you all the time. You don't need to dress up for me, the mere sight or thought of you can send me into a whirlwind."

"All the time?" She whispered and he nodded his head, watching as she averted her eyes from his. "Even in the past two weeks when you didn't touch me?"

"Jay…" He pulled her into a hug. "I am such a drongo." He closed his eyes when she sniffed and shook her head. "Yes, I am. I was all worried about you getting hurt while all this time I was the one who caused most of the damage…"

"No, you didn't and I understand…why you acted the way you did. It's just…" She trailed off, burying her face in his shoulder. "It doesn't do well to a woman's confidence when her boyfriend barely touches her."

He moved to kiss her, his lips meeting hers in a searing kiss, his hands cupping her face, his tongue possessing and demanding as his hands trailed to her back again, pulling her closer and arching his body closer to hers. The fluttering in her stomach increased and the sense of anticipation was almost painful, aching for his touch.

Her hands were warm against his chest, somehow managing to sneak inside his sweatshirt and torture him. Her fingernails teased him and he groaned, tearing his lips from hers and moving lower, desire consuming him. Her neck arched backwards when he kissed it, giving him more access, the sound of his name echoing in the quiet room.

He picked her up, groaning when she wrapped her legs around his waist and their lips met again. Somehow, he made it to the bed, pulling her on top of him, groaning as their bodies sought further contact. He gave her control, matching the frantic rhythm she set, his lips not leaving hers as they desperately tried to forget everything that happened that night.

Finally, when they collapsed against each other, he held on tight, removing her hair from her sweaty face before pulling her closer again and kissing her lips gently. Relief slowly took place in his heart as his mind allowed exhaustion to take over. He closed his eyes with a sigh, keeping her close as they drifted into slumber.

Bobby didn't sleep long, odd nightmares plaguing his mind. After an hour and a half he woke up completely alert, unable to return to his slumber. Instead, he watched her as she lay on her stomach beside him, the blanket covering her hips, leaving her half exposed to his hungry eyes. He slowly trailed his hand down her back and then upwards towards her hair and face. She twitched a little, smiling in her sleep, moving closer to him.

The knocking on the bedroom door and Jack's voice that followed it woke her up and she stretched, watching intently as he put on some clothes. He sat beside her, pulling her into a kiss. She anchored her hand in his wild hair. "Do you want me to come with you?"

He shook his head. "In the past two weeks you have seen me at my worst." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'd appreciate if you'd meet me at my apartment afterwards, I don't know what they'll say about me…"

"I know you, Bobby; I don't believe anything other people say." She pursed her lips. "I can take a lot, you know…if you only tell me the truth. I promise to do the same."

"I know, thank you." He smiled, ruffling her hair and leaning for one last kiss before heading outside.

Jack and Sue waited for him, providing a united front that supported him. The internal affairs committee was difficult to face but when he saw his entire team in the room, he felt stronger and if they were shocked or appalled by his actions, they didn't show it. He wasn't surprised at all when the hearing committee decided they needed more time to consider all the evidence. Jack and Sue both received a remark in their personal file, reprimanding them for covering him in the previous Morino case. They took it in stride but for Bobby, it was even worse then his own suspension.

When he finally returned to his apartment, after refusing a team dinner at his favorite pizza place, he found her in his bedroom, pulling out boxer shorts from his drawer.

"What are you…"

"Oh, good you're here. Pack up; we're going away for the weekend." She tossed him some boxers.

"Don't you wanna know what they told me?" He asked softly, picking up a few socks from another drawer.

"Only if you wanna tell me." She smiled at him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"They're opening an internal investigation, I'm on three month suspension, and afterwards they'll make a decision."

She kissed his chest soundly. "Then it's the perfect time for us to get away."

"Where are we going anyway?" He chuckled when she returned to his closet and found one of his worn T-shirts, one that she loved to wear as a nightshirt.

"You'll love it. It's a nice cabin, not far from the ocean. It's got a big fluffy rug in front of the fire place and a Jacuzzi with ocean view."

Bobby's grin turned into a mock leer. "I like it already."

They spent four nights in the intimate cabin, ordering room service and hardly bothering with wearing anything they packed. The stormy weather was the perfect excuse to light the fire and make good use of the rug that was so close to it. They talked a lot and he slowly adjusted to the new situation he was in. He knew she believed in him and he knew that his team believed in him, and that was everything that mattered.

They learned to know each other even better and he especially loved to see her when she developed a design in her mind. Her dark eyes wide as she stared through the window, her body relaxed as a soft smile slowly appeared on her lips. The smile always indicated that she liked what she saw in her mind's eye and that she was already thinking of ways to make her idea happen. At that point he always bothered her, wrapping his arms around her and reminding her that she wasn't allowed to work on vacation before continuing to kiss her senseless and make her forget her ideas all together.

When they returned home, he had to readjust all over again. He was delighted to spend a lot of time with her but sometimes he needed to brood, just like she needed some time to herself. As the days slowly passed by, he began to toss her clothes into his washing machine and after a month, he made room in his closet for her things.

The look on her face when she discovered a box of tampons in his bathroom cupboard was priceless but she just smiled and the next day he found her favorite shampoo right next to his. It took another month before they actually discussed the matter; they agreed to wait for the hearing before officially moving in together. Bobby didn't mind, as long as they continued to spend their nights together, which they did…with much pleasure.

After three months of forced vacation and a temporary part time job that he hated, he was relieved to finally be summoned to the final hearing. He was even more relieved to come back to his desk and the team who became his family. Jack and Dimitrius were more then surprised when he requested a few days off, they approved, and he promptly tossed a small box in Jay's general direction.

Jay saw the object that flew towards her and instinctively caught it, her reflexes improving after more then a few basketball games she was forced to participate in while Bobby was on suspension. Sue, who was in the middle of a sentence flinched with surprise and grinned wildly at Jay's shocked expression.

She met his eyes and grinned. Behind her, Lucy and Tara urged her to open the box and she did, wincing when they all whistled with appreciation.

"You know, I would marry him just so I could wear it." Tara fingered the delicate band with her finger.

"Is it custom made?" Sue wondered out loud and Bobby nodded his hand.

"What happened to rings are the world's smallest handcuffs?" Jack joked and Bobby shrugged his shoulders, still grinning and waiting for an answer.

"I can't believe you're asking her like that in public." Lucy rolled her eyes. "I hope you have a very expensive honeymoon planned…"

"Trust me, I have great plans for us." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Without a word, Jay placed the ring on her finger, slowly nodding her head. "Actually, he asked me last night and I already said yes."

Myles rolled his eyes. "It seems Koala Boy might have hope in the romance department after all…"

Lucy excitedly tried to get more details. "Oh…a candle light dinner, I bet he didn't burn anything last night…"

"Well…we had candles…" Jay felt her face growing red, choosing not to reveal that they actually did order Chinese, but moved straight to desert.

Bobby crossed the bullpen in two strides, pulling her into his arms and into a searing kiss that stole her breath away. "So…you're handcuffing me to you?" She breathlessly asked when they finally broke the kiss.

"And I'm throwing away the keys." He winked.

She stood on her toes, her mouth close to his ear. "Kinky…"

He kissed her again, passionately consuming her until Myles threw a folder on them and ordered them to find a judge and a room.

They happily obliged.

~Fin~

Bell 2006

Thank you JeanJam for your continuous support. I hope those who are reading are still enjoying.

I hope to have more stories edited and uploaded soon.