A/N:I know absolutely nothing about New York City, so Anna's address is completely made up. So are her home and cell phone numbers. Thank you all so much for your reviews - please enjoy!

And the usual disclaimer applies: Dick Wolf, yadda, yadda, yadda.

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Chapter 5: Dreams and Invitations

"Come with me, Bobby,' Anna smiled and took him by the hand. She led him down the little stone path surrounded by trees. The breeze rustled through her hair and the hem of her dress danced around her. He was once again drawn to her spectacular legs. She was as elegant as a thoroughbred, moving smoothly and effortlessly in her bare feet. But he also couldn't miss the dangerous sway in her hips, the luscious curve of her breasts. She was quite simply the most incredibly sensual creature he had ever seen. Anna led him off the path and into a glade nestled secretly beside a small stream. There was a blanket on the ground and she sat down and patted the blanket next to her. He knelt down and reached out, sliding his hands through her hair, down to her scalp and turned her to face him. Anna gazed at him, her eyes full of passion … and understanding… and hope. "I've been waiting for you," her words vibrated up his arms, through his chest, down the entire length of him. "I've been waiting for you, too, Anna…" She kissed him and he groaned with pleasure as their mouths met and their tongues coupled. She tasted fresh and sweet and ready. Her arms slid around him and he went down with her. She was so warm, so soft, so wet…

Goren awoke with a start, nearly knocking his glass off the arm of the chair.

"Damn…," he looked around, almost as if he expected her to be there, in his apartment just like she had been in his dream. If only… He grimaced as he sat up, more than painfully aware of the side effects of his own detailed imagination. Another one of those things that is a gift and a fucking curse… Bobby shook his head, took one last swig of scotch, and headed for the bathroom.

God, I hate cold showers! He winced as the water poured over him, relieving the pressure in his groin, but not the pain. He finished as quickly as he could and dried off. Then he slid on his boxers and tee shirt and headed back to the living room. Bobby picked up his binder and retreated to the kitchen table to continue his research.

After five minutes of reading the same page, he knew to give up. He rubbed his eyes, wishing he could rub the voices – and her - out of his head, if only for now. What the hell is going on with you, Goren? You've known this woman… what… thirty minutes, and you're dreaming of some romance novel romp in the woods with her? Get a hold of yourself, for chrissakes!

"Even you're not that good, you idiot," he said aloud, chuckling to himself. "If you tried that in real life, she'd probably kick your ass."

Bobby closed the binder, turned off the lights and started towards the bedroom. Halfway down the hall a sudden, disheartening thought occurred to him; he smacked himself in the side of the head.

You didn't even get her number, jackass…

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Throughout the night, visions of Anna continued to visit him; they touched and kissed and made love in his mind over and over again. After awaking for the third time, Goren finally gave in and allowed himself the pleasure of actually enjoying the delusion that she was there with him - and fell off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning he left early, hoping to get a jump on the massive task the next fortnight would bring. By six-thirty he was at One P.P., his usual Dark Columbian Roast and Eames's Mocha Grande safely in hand.

Bobby stepped off the elevator and headed for his desk. The squad room was mostly deserted at this time of the morning. He spoke to the few detectives still on from the night shift, and then turned his attention to the cartons of evidence from the Shelton investigation that the clerks had brought back over from Carver's office. This, he thought ruefully, is going to be loads of fun. He had just opened the first box when he heard a familiar voice coming down the hall.

"Good Morning, detective," Bobby looked up into the smiling face of Andrew Haversham. "You're here early for a Saturday."

"Yea, well, you know how it goes," he answered, standing to greet him.

"All to well. I have about a hundred slides waiting for me in the lab. And that's just from one of the cases I'm handling."

Goren chuckled. Drew didn't sound upset or bothered by the workload he was facing. If anything, the young man seemed excited.

"So, you need my help with anything?" Bobby asked, returning to his chair.

"No," Drew blushed a little. "But I think I can help you."

Goren's eyebrows shot up questioningly. Drew reached into his pocket and produced a folded sheet of paper and handed it to him with a bit of smirk.

He opened the paper and had to smile as he began to read.

Anna Elaine Haversham

213 E. 25th Street Apartment 4A

212-555-0625 (H)

212-555-1119 (C)

"Thanks… uhm... I sort of forgot…," he said, glancing shyly back up at Drew.

"Yea, she did, too. But, don't worry; I got her permission and everything," Drew couldn't keep from smiling down at the big detective as he continued. "Read the rest."

Bobby turned his attention back to the page. His smile widened.

Favorite flower: Stargazer Lily

Favorite Food: Italian, but she'll try anything at least once.

Favorite hobbies: reading, watching movies, sewing, listening to music, dancing, and watching the NHL.

"Ice hockey?" Goren asked in surprise.

"Yea, my sister is a hockey chick," Drew laughed.

"Well, gee, Drew, I… I don't really know what to say." His face reddened as he stood up and faced the young man.

"Do you like my sister?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to treat her with the respect a lady like her deserves?" Drew's tone had remained light, but Bobby couldn't miss the intent behind his question.

"Of course! "

"Then that's all I need to know." Drew extended his hand and Bobby numbly took it. "Thanks, really, I promise I'll…"

"Yea, yea, yea… You're just asking her out, dude. You're not running off to elope or anything... are you!"

"No!" Goren glanced over to see Drew nearly doubled over in laughter. He couldn't help but laugh along with him.

"Man… I gotta get back to the lab. I'll see you later." He turned and headed back down the hall, shaking his head.

"Sure, Drew, see you later," Bobby called out as he took his seat, still staring at the piece of paper in his hand. He read it over again and sighed. Ice Hockey? I don't know a damned thing about ice hockey…

Eames joined him about an hour later. Together they hauled the case work – all eighteen boxes – into the conference room and began to put it chronological order from the first day of the investigation to the last. Then they separated it into categories: case notes, lab reports, evidence logs, financials, witness statements… the list was longer than Goren's arm. By the time they looked up it was already ten a.m. and they hadn't even started reading back through all the information in front of them.

"Grief, I need a break," Alex muttered. "This is going to be a bit harder than I thought."

"Yes…" Goren rubbed his neck with his right hand and sighed deeply. "Yes, it is."

Alex noticed that her partner seemed quite fascinated by a slip of paper lying on top of his ever present binder. She walked around to his side of the table and peeked over his shoulder.

"Well, looks like you had the time for a … uhm… little personal investigating this morning, Bobby." She plopped down in the chair next to him, grinning widely and obviously expecting some sort of an explanation.

"No, uhm, I didn't do this," he waved the paper in the air. "Drew brought it by just after I got here."

"Anna's brother gave you a cheat sheet?"

"It is not a 'cheat sheet,' Alex! Besides, he said that she gave him permission."

"Oh, I see. Nice of him to give you a head's up, I suppose. So…" Alex looked up at him, eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"So…"

"So, when are you going to call her, you dope! Honestly, do Andrew and I have to do everything for the two of you?"

"Eames, we're a little busy here," he swung his arms around, gesturing at the piles and piles of documents around the room.

Eames rolled her eyes in exasperation, reached across the table and slid the phone in front of him.

"I'm going next door for coffee," she stood and walked to the door. "You've got until I get back to call Anna and ask her out. Don't make me do it for you!" She pointed at him and smirked as she left the room.

Goren eyes moved back and forth from the paper to the phone. He rubbed his face with his big hands and cleared his throat nervously. Well, I definitely don't want Eames handling this, so I guess it's time I bit the bullet.

He picked up the phone, punched the outside line and started dialing.

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Anna Haversham liked to sleep in on Saturday's. During the week she was up by five in order to get a workout in before heading to work, but on the weekends she liked nothing more than staying in bed, newspaper and a mug of tea to keep her company. As she closed the sports page, she made a mental list of what she needed to get done around the house. Start the laundry, straighten up the apartment, clean the bathroom… What do I need at the grocery? She glanced over to the bedside table and smiled as she picked up the small envelope that contained her birthday present from Drew: a gift certificate to Nora's, her favorite shop for sewing and knitting notions. Oh, I am going to have such fun with this… she thought excitedly. Anna put a visit to Nora's on the top of her list and climbed out of bed. She showered and put on her favorite jeans, a plain cotton tee shirt and pulled her damp hair into a bun. After a breakfast of toast and marmalade, she was ready to go. But…

What if he calls while I'm gone? She asked herself, staring at the phone. Drew's been at work since six; he has surely given Bobby my number by now. I don't want to miss his call…

Anna paced a circle around the living room, pondering what to do. She had never been the type of woman to sit around waiting for some guy to call. And I'm not about to start now…, she thought to herself. But Bobby isn't just some guy, Anna! At least not judging by all the dreams you had about him last night...

Her faced reddened at the memory of her fitful, yet ultimately very fulfilling sleep. Again and again her dreams the night before had returned to the handsome detective; his lips, his hands, his deep, sensual voice echoing through her as they pleasured each other.

Okay, get a hold of yourself… if he calls, he'll leave a message. Anna stopped pacing and reached for the linen tote bag that she always took shopping. She grabbed her keys and wallet, tied her red cardigan around her shoulders and headed for the door. Just as she unlocked the deadbolt, the phone rang.

"Hello," she answered as she set down the tote on the desk.

"Uh... A-Anna?"

"Yes?"

"It's uhm, it's Detective Robert Goren. From last night?" Yes! It's him!

"Oh, yes…uhm… Good Morning, detective."

"I asked you to please call me Bobby," he reminded. The way he slipped his voice down an octave as he gently chided her sent chills down her spine – and warmth to several other places. Stay calm, girl, don't act like some teenage geek.

"Of course, I'm sorry, Bobby." She relaxed a bit as she heard a light chuckle through the line.

"Did I catch you at a bad time? I can call back later, if…"

"No, no, I was just heading out to run some errands. What can I do for you?" I know what I want to do for you. Her breath caught as the thought crossed her mind.

"Are you sure? You sound a little… out of breath."

Shit, he heard that? Anna sat down at her desk, reminding herself that this man was a Major Case detective. She was going to have to do a better job of hiding her obvious excitement at his call.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Drew came by this morning and gave me your number. I forgot to get it from you last night," he said softly. "I – I hope that is okay with you."

"Well, sure it's okay; I, I asked you to call."

"I was wanting…uhm…wanting…" Oh, God, the way he says 'wanting'. This is going to be much harder than I thought. She heard him take a deep breath, as if he was steadying himself. "I was wanting to ask you if you'd like to go out to dinner tonight."

"Dinner tonight…," she tried to at least sound like she had to think about it. "I think that would be lovely, Bobby."

He paused for a moment. She could hear him breathing a little faster. Surely he's not… he couldn't… is he as nervous as I am?

"Good, uhm, I mean… Great! I have to work today and I won't be leaving until around five. How about I pick you up at your apartment at seven?"

"That will be fine, do you need…"

"No, Drew gave me your address, too. I'm sure I can find you."

"Okay, uhm…I'll see you at seven then."

"I am looking forward to it. I'll see you then."

"I'm looking forward to it, too, Bobby. 'Bye."

"Goodbye, Anna."

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Anna finally exhaled as she hung up the phone. Her head was spinning as her mind raced back over their brief conversation, and the shy, stammering way that Bobby had asked her to dinner.

He did sound a little flustered… but that could've been because he's busy working. Again she silently replayed their conversation. No, she said to herself, that wasn't it. Could he really be nervous… over me?

She couldn't help but be enchanted at the thought of this man - this big, strapping, bear of a man – being flustered over her. She blushed and started to giggle in anticipation.

"Well," she said aloud, a wicked smile playing across her lips. "If he's nervous now, just wait until he sees me tonight."