The World Kept Turning

Back to the events of Frame with a little everything before thrown in, for good measure.

Italics are character thoughts. Bold lettering is shouting.

Chapter 5

Alex negotiated the car through the traffic, cursing slightly under her breath.

Glancing over her passenger who it seemed was oblivious to everything, hell he was almost catatonic. His head was against the glass, but she could feel the tension radiating from him.

Bobby, what are you thinking about, maybe the same as me… huh…what the Fuck is going on?

Alex returned her attention to the road, and her mind to trying to sort through how they'd got to here. It was all happening so fast.

The picture he'd found by his Mom's grave, Franks death, the flowers, Nicole, the appearance of Gage, Nicole's heart in a box she still shuddered at that. Bobby's explosive admission that the DNA had proven Brady was his biological father. And the now; icing on the cake, life insurance on Frank. Shit what a day. No wonder her head was pounding.

The whole squad room had seen how angry and frustrated he'd been.

She sighed, flicking her gaze over her partners' inert form. Alex rolled her shoulders trying to dispel some of the tension. She'd seen what he'd tried hard to keep concealed, his disgust and shame...at himself.

It had been in his eyes when they'd locked with hers in the Captains office. He'd quickly hid the emotions, but she'd seen. Had he meant her to see? With Goren you never knew, or maybe she did know him too well.

She shook her head trying to clear it. Feeling were getting mixed up with facts and evidence, she needed to be focused. Hell one of them needed to be. Throwing a quick look at her partner…...she sighed again.

Damn it Bobby nothing is ever simple, but I'm with you on this one. It's a mess my friend.

They were on their way to see Jo Gage.

The last person Alex wanted to see. She couldn't deny she was uneasy. This was not high on her to do list.

Get a grip Eames.

When he'd said he needed to see Jo, his whole attention had turned toward her, willing her to understand.

She'd tried to smile, as she'd nodded.

Knowing when he'd started shifting from foot to foot what he was going to say, and at the mention of the name she had to fight not to throw up.

He'd tried just once to stop her coming with him, a token gesture they both knew it, she was going. There was no way she'd let him go alone, and no one else she'd entrust him to.

She'd been with him through this, what affected him affected her to. Not long ago she'd told – correction she'd shouted at him, that him all his wounds were self inflicted; what she hadn't said was that when he inflicted that cut she was the one who need the plaster.

Damn. She almost missed the turn.

After the disaster which was the shouting match the ME's office. Her news that Frank had a life insurance in the name Bobby had assumed in Tates, had almost struck him dumb.

No doubt he was being gaslighted.

Then it became obvious to both of them Delcan was more involved than they'd been willing to admit.

And Jo could have the answers.

Alex swung the car into a free space, turning off the engine. Her hands gripped the wheel and she rested her head against them.

Shit it had been hell of a week, even for them. But they'd had a foot in hell for almost 2 years as they lurched from disaster to heartbreak and back again. He didn't do well when they were at odds. But sometimes she had to keep it that way because if they both dissolved into the puddle of despair neither would get out…. Alex don't take that side…That's what he yelled at her in the ME's office. And she knew then he was closer to the edge on this than he had ever been.

"Eames?"

She turned. He was looking at her the concern in his eyes.

Meeting his eyes for the first time in what felt like a long time, she tried to smile.

Needing to talk, explain that this would be alright, and so would they. But although words were the tools of their trade, when it came to personal conversations neither of them did good. She tried willing him to understand her forehead was wrinkling with the effort.

"Eames, are you okay you're pulling faces"

Okay maybe telepathy wasn't going to work today.

"What, yeah I'm okay, just thinking."

Just thinking, of course you are Eames, just worrying more than likely about me. But I won't push you on that now. We're both to raw.

"Right…." Bobby trailed off, looking toward his destination.

"Bobby……" She pauses, uncertain what to say. Maybe silence is better than words right now.

After few moments that seem like hours he speaks again "Eames, I – I have to see her, talk to her." A smile on his lips that doesn't quite manage reach his eyes, needing to reassure her he knew this was hard.

She returned the smile, "I know you do, I won't come in, I'll wait right here, okay?"

His hand moves and for a moment they are both captivated by it, she thinks he's going to reach out, he hesitates his hand in midair, before reaching for his folder. A sigh escapes him, as he puts the folder under his other arm.

And her head snaps up. "Bobby I'll be RIGHT HERE"

As she raises her voice, his face lights and this time it reaches his eyes, "Right here, okay Eames." He turns his hand over and offers it up into the space between them. She touches his palm with her fingers, he's shaking….or is that her. His fingers tighten around hers with such speed she feels tears behind her eyes. Their lifeline is firmly in place.

"I don't know how long I'll be, or even if they'll let me see her." His face flashes with worry, at the thought of not getting answers. " M..maybe she won't want to see me?"

She gives him look that says yeah right Goren;

"You'll be okay?"

She almost bites back the remark on the tip of her tongue, but settles for a chance of normality….. no matter how forced. "I'm a big girl, "I'll be fine, may even stretch my legs a little."

He opens the door and tries to get out. A puzzled almost quizzical look crosses his face as to what's stopping him getting out. Only a snort of laughter from Eames causes him to pause. The questioning look on his face is answered when she raises their hands into his eye line. He can't get out because his hand is joined to hers.

The half goofy smile that is purely Goren causes her hand to tighten around his. And for a split second she considers not letting go, starting the car driving them both away from this.

His eyebrow raises, she knows he understands and waits. She releases him.

"You'll be right here." He confirms as he closes the door "And I'll be right back."

TBC.