AN: Thanks for the reviews. Special thanks to deliriousdancer for giving me an idea for something in this chapter and the next one. L&O is not mine. Here's Bobby...

Chapter 5

Previously on Deception (reaching back to chapter one)...

A few paces later I broke into a sprint and ran away from my old life. I heard somewhere that the greatest sacrifice in love is to let go, but in true love, the greatest sacrifice is to make sure that the person you love is happy, even if it means disappearing just so they could achieve that happiness.

And now...

I really didn't know where I was going. All I knew was that I had to get away to stop the pain. My pain, causing her pain, the pain of losing my mother, all of it was just too much. No one I knew cared about me any more. My mother was dead, she probably cared from wherever she was, but there was nothing for me here now. Hell, Eames was more than likely counting down the days until she left. I finally stopped running in some alley. As I regained my breath, I observed my surroundings, taking in the masses of boxes, and decided that I would need shelter, and a change of cloths. I wandered out of the alley and took off down the street. A couple blocks down, I ran into a homeless person.

"Trade ya cloths?" He looked at my clothing, moving up to my face with a look of disbelief on his face.

"You're gonna give me those nice cloths for these pathetic straps of clothing?" I nodded. "Sure!" After the swap was done, I meandered away from him and down the street once more. I was looking for a homeless shelter when a cop car pulled next to me. I immediately switched into my undercover techniques and acted real shifty.

"Excuse me!" I started mumbling under my breath, hoping to scare away the officers. They still approached, though being sure to keep their distance. I hunched my body over even further, trying to make my appearance as small as possible.

"Sir, we have some questions for you." I finally looked in their general direction, hoping that if I acknowledged them that they would go away. I was thanking God that I had spent those years in narcotics and going undercover, because it was paying off now.

"Sir, we were wondering what you're doing out on the street." Mmm, could use this to my advantage.

"I...got...twitch..turned...around...somewhere. I meant...twitch...twitch...to go...to...the shelter."

"Well we can get you there..." Halfway through his sentence, he was cut off by his radio. We all listened to what was coming out.

"There has been a 10-34 on the Westmoore Bridge(completely made that up). Possible officer death, stand by." Oh crap, they just reported my death. The two officers glanced at each other as I became still.

"You still want to go to the shelter?" I nodded. "Alright, go down this street three blocks, take a right, and it'll be on your left."

"Thanks." And I stumbled down the street in the direction he pointed. After the car passed and turned a corner, I started to walk regularly. That was the most disconcerting thing to ever have happened to me. To hear it told, makes everything so real. I arrived at the shelter and looked inside. The front desk person saw me and came over to open the door.

"Do you need a place to stay tonight?"

"Yes, please."

"Follow me, you're in luck. We have one bed left." I followed her, and stopped after she stopped.

"Here's your bed," she whispered. "Please be out by nine o'clock." I mumbled my thanks and settled down on my bed for the night. I sighed and rolled onto my side so that I was staring at the wall. Why am I having doubts about this? Why is it so hard to just move on? It wasn't supposed to be like this. Heck, none of this should have never happened if I hadn't told her how I felt about here engagement and pending marrige. She even asked if there was anything she should know, and I asked her two questions. I didn't give her any answers, just two stupid questions and a phrase that really sounds like the worst thing to have said. That's me 20/20 hindsight. I just...wish that someone would slap me upside the head and say 'What the heck are you thinking!' I sighed again, knowing that if I ever decided to come back, my ass would be toast because the idea itself was stupid. As my eyes slowly slipped closed, for the first time in a long time, I prayed. I prayed that somehow I would get out of this without losing any of my body parts, and to get out with as much grace as possible, which in truth would be very little.

AN: Up next...The rest of the squad finds out...review please.