Chapter Six

"You bastard!"

Alex leaped from her seat and sprang towards Stabler. In spite of the chair in her way, she would have slammed into him if Bobby hadn't grabbed her arms. He pulled her back as gently as he could. Stabler, stunned by the source but not by the attack, recoiled.

"Elliott." Benson's voice dripped with anger. "How did you get this? These files are supposed to be…" She stared at her partner. "You used my name…my friend at CPS…"

"We're looking for a killer," Stabler said coldly. His partner's reaction surprised him, but he continued relentlessly. "And what's in that file…" He glared at Bobby, who struggled with Alex and his emotions. "Your mommy hurt you a lot, Goren? That file has a lot of hospital stays…and a lot of injuries…you told them you fell off your bike…you tripped…Were you that awkward as a kid?"

Alex struggled to wrench away from Bobby.

"Leave him alone, Elliott," Huang warned.

Stabler shot up from his chair. "What is this?" he shouted. "He fits the profile…He drives the roads every day…His mother looks like the victims…And everyone knows he's…he's…"

"Nut case…psycho…one step away from being a perp…" Bobby's voice was calm, sad, lost. "I've heard them all, Stabler." He released Alex and stood. Stabler braced for an attack, but Bobby walked to a corner of the room. He stood facing the wall and frantically rubbed the back of his neck. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and turned to face the room.

"He's right," Bobby said in a horribly flat, weary voice. "I fit the profile…and what little physical description we may have…But you haven't looked deeply enough into that file, Stabler…My mother…" Bobby's voice caught in his throat, and Alex inwardly raged against Stabler. "My mother thought demons were after her and often confused and frightened me…but…" Bobby swallowed and his body shook with his effort to maintain control. "She was brave…she was always brave…and she never hurt me physically…If you'd really studied that file, you'd know a lot of people accused her of things she didn't do…and would never do…and a lot of people hurt her…The person who hurt me was my father…my mom tried to protect me…and he'd…he'd hurt her…" Bobby looked at Stabler, who couldn't meet the taller man's eyes. "You…the profile fits…but my mom…I don't hate her…I hate things she's done…but I love her…and I did not kill these women…"

Stabler winced at Bobby's words, but he pressed on. "You know the area…a state cop found you parked at the side of the road just last night…and no one knows were you go away from the job…you have the knowledge and the opportunity…"

A thousand thoughts flashed through Alex's mind—Bobby's name and reputation dragged through an investigation; the real killer free and torturing more women; the destruction of her own career and reputation.

"I know where he goes at night," she said defiantly.

"Al…Eames…no…" Terror in his eyes, Bobby spun to face her.

Alex now filled the room. Her eyes blazed. "A lot of those nights…since I was attacked…He's been with me…"

"No," Bobby whispered, and he slumped into a chair.

"I know what you're thinking, Stabler," Alex said. "But we're not having sex…It's simple enough…After everything…I…We…needed someone…and the only person who seemed to be able to help me was Bobby…and I…" She glanced at Bobby. "Seemed to be the only person who could help him."

"Eames…your career…your reputation," Bobby murmured. He looked at her in wonder and tried to comprehend why she was willing to throw everything in her life away for him.

"If it's them against Stabler's half-assed idea, I'll give 'em up," Alex declared. "And you don't seem too concerned about your career and reputation." She glared at Stabler. "There's no way he's had the time to torture and kill these woman…even if he were capable of it…which he isn't…"

Stabler sat heavily in a chair.

"I'd have thought," Alex said. "You'd understand something about partners…"

"He did…once," Benson said softly. "But lately…"

"Elliott," George Huang said. "If you'd given Goren half a chance and listened to and watched him at all, you'd know he's incapable of these crimes…"

Stabler was shaking; for several moments he struggled to regain control. "To say I'm sorry won't cut it, will it?" he finally said.

Bobby spoke before Alex could. "No…but it's a start."

Alex pressed. "You could forget what I told you about Bobby and me."

"I don't recall Alex telling us much of anything, do you, Elliott?" Benson's tone suggested an ultimatum of some sort lay behind her words.

"No," Stabler said. "Nothing except a case of two partners helping each other through a bad time." He looked at Benson. "And I do understand something about partners, Olivia."

All four detectives breathed in relief.

"Uh, guys? I'm here…remember?" Huang's bemused voice broke the silence.

The detectives turned to the psychiatrist with a mixture of fear and embarrassment.

"Eames," Bobby said quickly. "Did nothing wrong…she…she…"

"Bobby," Alex said. "If we did anything wrong, we both did it…"

"I'm not sure," Huang said. "If I can agree that this is just a case of two professional partners helping each other through a bad time…"

The detectives began making sounds of protest.

Huang raised his hands. "But, I can see this as a case of two friends getting each other through a very difficult time…"

Bobby and Alex didn't try to hide their relief.

"Besides," Huang continued. "I've watched you both…It's a great partnership…and I'm not going to be responsible for tearing it apart.

"Thank you." Bobby's voice was so low that Alex thought she might have imagined his response.

Stabler held his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he said. "I…It was a terrible thing…I was so wrong…"

"Yea…you were and it was," Alex said angrily.

Bobby touched her arm as a warning. "Like I said…I fit the profile…"

Stabler shook his head. "And you didn't in a lot of ways…I want this guy too much…I let my prejudices blind me…I didn't check the evidence…do basic things." He stood. "I am sorry, Goren…"

Bobby shook Stabler's offered hand. "I think…the person you owe an apology to is your partner." He tilted his head towards Benson. "And…well, there's a lot of stuff that we wouldn't want to leave this room."

"As far as I'm concerned," Stabler said. "None of us have been in here this morning."

"I'm not sure we can ignore what happened in here," Bobby said. "But we can keep it in here."

"Deal," Stabler said.

They started to leave the room. Alex felt as if she'd survived some terrible, strange storm and now emerged to deal with the damage. Bobby stood at the end of the room, staring at the treacherous file. He looked remarkably well for a man who'd just had his insides ripped out and displayed to the world.

Stabler reached for the file. "Don't worry, Goren…I'll make sure this gets back…Say the word and I'll make it disappear."

"Even if the file disappears," Bobby said. "It won't make the things in it disappear…" He stood silent, lost in his thoughts.

"Bobby?" Alex stepped next to him.

Bobby's fingers played with a corner of the file. "Stabler's right about something," he said slowly. "We're not looking for me…but we're looking for a man like me."

END Chapter Six