A/N - Another short chapter, but the end is in sight! Final chapter will be much longer.

Chapter 7 - Retrograde

"So, Eames. With all of Manhattan at your feet, what do you want to do?"

Bobby was leaning against the inner wall watching Alex revel in the view before her. It was a brilliantly clear day, with a blue sky and enough of a breeze to lift Alex's hair in front of her eyes. She stood at the outer rail of the observation deck on the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building, soaking in New York City at its most spectacular.

"You mean we can't just stay up here and enjoy the view?" She couldn't take her eyes off the City.

Lunch at Tortelli's had definitely been a good idea. More than good food and great wine, it had given Alex and Bobby some time to sit in a relaxed, familiar setting and get caught up with each other's lives. She told him about her position at the Chicago police academy and how, surprisingly, she liked her role as instructor. He pointed out to her how much she always enjoyed being right – an instructor position seemed a perfect fit for her. Alex glared at him and tried to decide if that was supposed to be a compliment. She couldn't figure out if she should be pissed or flattered. Bobby always did have the best poker face.

She was surprised to learn that Captain Ross still retained Bobby as a consultant for cases where he needed a profiler. She thought she'd kept up on pretty much all of the important facts of his life during the past five years, but that one had escaped her.

'So, has Ross tried to talk you into coming back to MCS?'

'I think our current arrangement is a good fit for both of us.' Bobby didn't seem bitter at all about his consultant status. Alex was happy to hear that he was keeping his hand in something he enjoyed and that kept his mind challenged.

"We could stay up here …" Bobby sounded doubtful. "Look, there are lots of things we can do," he pushed away from the wall and walked over to stand beside her, basically ignoring the vista before him in true resident New Yorker style. "C'mon…let's…go to SoHo and hit all those funky Art Deco shops you used to like."

Alex considered the suggestion for a few seconds. "Nah," she wrinkled her nose in rejection.

"We could go to TKTS and see about getting tickets for a show…?" She shook her head at his suggestion and Bobby tried again. "One of the art museums?"

"So we can argue about what constitutes art?" Alex tore her eyes away from the view to look at Bobby who grinned back at her in remembrance. "Pass. Besides, this day is too incredible to waste it indoors."

He nodded in agreement and finally turned to join her in admiring the City. "How about we go the tourist route and head to the Statue of Liberty?"

"No…" Alex stepped away from the west-facing view and walked to the north side of the building. "I'm thinking the Park," she called back to him.

Bobby walked up beside her and they both looked out toward the large, green expanse that was Central Park. "Are you sure? There's not something else you want to do?"

"What could be better than people-watching in Central Park?"

He raised his hands in the air in a sign of surrender. "All right," he agreed before turning back toward the elevators.

Alex reluctantly walked away from the view to join him and a thought occurred to her. "There is something else." She figured now was as good a time as any to be demanding. "Is Rumplemeyer's still at the St. Moritz?"

His brow creased in confusion. "Yeah, it is…"

"They always had the best cheesecake in the City."

"Still have that sweet tooth, I see," Bobby grinned at her. "The Park and cheesecake it is." He pushed the call button for the elevator then turned to her. "You're a cheap date."

Alex gripped his elbow and looked up at him. "You can make it up to me another time," she teased.

Bobby dipped his head so his mouth was next to her ear "You got it," he murmured.

TBC…

A/N - Sadly, the St. Moritz Hotel and Rumplemeyer's no longer exist. But since I already made up Tortelli's and Bailey's, I figured...what the hell...