DISCLAIMER: I have no claim to Dick Wolf's wonderful charcters of L&O CI

Also in this chapter, please note the use of the wonderful lyrics of Maria: Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

I tried to have a mix of angst and humor here ... I hope it worked. Remember, this is Fiction ... from my crazy mind!!

Chapter 18

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… A Weapon Was Discharged

Bobby jumped Maria, at the same time, Jake grabbed Bobby's gun, Maria's gun went off and the bullet whizzed right by Big Jim's head and lodged in the door frame. Big Jim, being the actor that he is, had an entire speech planned on how he didn't really believe Bobby was interested in him and that he knew Bobby was just kidding but his speech was derailed.

"Jesus Christ Bobby, fine I'll tell your Captain the truth … you don't have to shoot me!" And with that, he did an about face and slammed the door, oblivious to what was really going on.

Eames ran to Bobby's aide and cuffed Maria, unbeknownst to them that now Jake was standing there holding Bobby's gun on all of them. Bobby started looking for his gun, not realizing, in the heat of the moment, that Jake had grabbed it. He looked up and saw a trembling Jake pointing the gun at Maria, he starts singing.

The most beautiful sound I ever heard: Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria . . . All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word . . Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria . . . Maria! I've just met a girl named Maria, And suddenly that name Will never be the same To me. Maria! I've just kissed a girl named Maria, And suddenly I've found How wonderful a sound Can be! Maria! Say it loud and there's music playing, Say it soft and it's almost like praying.

"Bobby, Eames whispers, what's going on?"

Bobby whispers back. "He thinks she's Maria from West Side Story … he's Schizophrenic, Eames."

Eames knew right then and there the impact this was going to have on Bobby … she silently cursed Ross and the Chief of D's. Her brother would get his too … when she found him.

"Jake, can I have my gun back now? It's my favorite one. Please Jake. I can get you another one but I'd like to get that one back first, remember you asked me about the things I liked ... I like guns, that gun, I really like it. Could I please have it?"

"NO! You like women, Lots of women! You don't want me … you have to die!"

Jake pulls the trigger. Eames reached for her gun at the same time and shot from a lying position behind the couch. Her bullet hit Jake in the left side of his chest and he was dead before he hit the floor, Jakes bullet, from Bobby's gun, hit Bobby slightly above the right hip area and he went down hard. By this time, police and paramedics were rushing to the scene due to numerous calls from the neighbors. Eames rushed to his side, he was in terrible pain … the worst physical pain he's ever felt and it was written all over his face.

"Bobby! Oh my God. They're coming … hang in there … please it will be okay … Bobby, please!"

Barely able to get the words out, "Jake, is he…"

"Bobby save your strength … forget about them, don't talk. She cradles him against her chest, he leaned into her and shut his eyes.

The paramedics took Bobby away with Eames riding with him. CSU was all over Bobby's apartment and Ross was left scratching his head once again. He thought this was going to be a simple little assignment to keep Goren occupied while on his "self inflicted leave" and get Eames brother out of trouble and stay out of trouble himself … Goren that is. He should have known that nothing is ever simple when it comes to Goren.

Bobby was rushed into surgery and Alex was in the family waiting room … seething. Captain Ross came in to get his status.

"Detective Eames, how's Goren?"

"How's Goren? HOW'S GOREN? HE COULD BE IN THERE DYING BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"Watch yourself, Detective."

Not as loud, but with as just as much venom. "Do not tell me to watch myself … I'm off your clock … I'm on his right now … my BEST friend. You sent him on this fools errand … the Addleson's are so fucked up they would have eventually self destructed and as far as my brother is concerned … well, he's a big boy … he can put his dick where ever he wants to, I don't give a shit! She turns her back on him and the tears start to run down her face … she wipes them away and turns back to him. Was this some brilliant plan to split us up as Partners? Did you and the Chief come up with this? Hasn't he been through enough?"

The Captain is shocked at her hostility towards him. She usually backs down and respects his authority, not this time.

"How can you think that Eames?"

"How can I not? Who gives a shit who my brother sleeps with? Why did you have Bobby do this? ANSWER ME!"

"Detective … stand down."

"GET OUT!"

Ross walks out of the family room and once again runs into Big Jim, who is openly upset but still an actor.

"Hello Captain."

"Jim." Captain Ross, in no mood for anybody or anything after being told off by Eames, just keeps walking.

"Excuse me, Captain."

With a heavy sigh. "What is it Jim?"

"I just want to be square with you … my friend is in there fighting for his life and I want you to know the truth."

"Which is?"

"He's totally heterosexual, he's covering for his Partner … you know … being a gentleman."

"What?"

"His Partner and I, you know …"

"No, spell it out."

"I didn't tell her I was married, one thing led to another and when Bobby found out, she told him to stay out of it and well that's when I came to 1PP to talk to him and he rather everyone think that he's gay than people know that his Partner is seeing a married man. So, there you go. If he dies … now you know the truth, he'll do anything to protect her reputation."

"He's not going to die Jim, we can't think that way."

"Please Captain … don't tell him what I told you … he'll kill me."

"I'd watch out for Eames, if I were you!"

Captain Ross leaves the hospital with a different perspective … on Eames for one … he did listen to what she had to say. He didn't have a choice since she was yelling. He needed to take what she said and consider it, but first, he needed to know what went wrong. The other thing was, the Chief … was he trying to harm Goren? Lets not forget Big Jim … he was just confusing and what was, a mostly level headed, Eames doing with him? Captain Ross went to his office and looked over the booking of Maria Addleson … it seems that she has had some sort of psychotic break and was admitted into the local psyche unit … she wasn't talking and Bobby was the only one that knew the whole story and nobody knew that.

After hours in surgery, the Doctor finally came in to see Eames. Lewis and Big Jim were keeping her company and well supplied with coffee. Bad idea, because she was bouncing off the walls making the two men more nervous than they already were.

"Detective Eames."

"Yes, yes Doctor … how is he?"

"Well … he's going to be fine … in time. The bullet caused some damage to his intestines. It also hit his appendix which has caused some complications which we are dealing with."

"What damage exactly and what complications exactly?"

"We had to remove a large section of his small intestine and resection that and because the bullet hit his appendix it has caused a condition called Peritonitis which requires high doses of antibiotics intravenously. We have everything under control Detective, your Partner is going to be fine."

"When can I see him?"

"They'll be taking him to recovery in about an hour and then to his room about an hour or so after that … you should probably go home and get some rest. He's going to be under some heavy duty pain meds, he should sleep through the night. Come back early tomorrow morning, we'll keep him quiet the rest of the night."

"It's still early, if there is any chance he might wake up, I'd like to be here."

"There's no chance, we plan on keeping him heavily sedated."

"Is there something you're not telling me Doctor?"

"No Detective, other than what he went through was very painful and we would like to spare our patient any more pain. Lets let him sleep. He needs the rest."

Lewis and Big Jim talked Eames into going home, she would have liked to spent the night at Bobby's but it was a crime scene now. Big Jim offered his guest room but he made the fatal mistake of telling Eames, in the elevator, about the "new story" he told Captain Ross … Lewis had to stop her from throwing Big Jim down the elevator shaft. If she could have figured out how to do it, he would have been a dead actor splattered in an elevator shaft at "General Hospital." Fade out, Big Jim.

Lewis drove her home, saving Big Jim's life.

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Does anybody know where Jack Eames is ? Hmmm?? Love to all, Thanks for reading ... please give me a shout!! Judeey;)