Summary: Alex goes on maternity leave and Bobby/Bishop get a case involving someone that Mary Lynne knows quite well. How in the world will Bobby handle it when Lynn takes a disliking to Lynne? Set all throughout Alex's pregnancy.

---

"Hello?"

"Hi, Lewis! It's Lynne. I was just wondering if you had plans tonight?"

"I do now," he replied with a chuckle. "Where did you want to go?"

"Nowhere. I just thought you'd like to see the penthouse after I redecorated. It's now Eric memory free. I'm even making dinner." She seemed quite proud of herself in coming up with the plan to seduce her boyfriend of six months. Of course … he didn't know he was going to be seduced. Oh, well. That just meant more fun for her.

"Okay. What time?" Lewis asked, completely unaware of her plans.

"How's seven?"

"Perfect. See you then."

"Bye."

Lynne grinned at Alex as she hung up the phone, "Phase one, complete."

Alex just laughed at Lynne's behavior, one hand on her stomach. The baby boy inside kicked, causing Alex to grin, "He's a fighter, this one."

"He's kicking again?"

Alex nodded, motioning for Lynne to put her hand on the other woman's stomach to feel the babe kick. Lynne grinned back at the surrogate mother in awe.

"When do you go on maternity leave?" Lynne asked a few minutes later.

"Next week," Alex said. "It's been torture enough to be on desk duty … I just don't like the idea of leaving Bobby alone with someone who doesn't understand how he works. And Bishop just doesn't get it."

"What do you mean?"

"She …" Alex sighed, frustrated, "She follows him around like a love-sick puppy!"

Sarge trotted in, reminding Lynne of something, "Speaking of puppies," she said, nodding to her dog. "Guess who got some from one of the neighbor dogs?"

"No," Alex said, hardly believing her ears, "Sarge is pregnant? I thought they sterilized all police dogs."

"Apparently it didn't take with her," Lynne said, sending a mock glare at her dog that had obviously gained a good five pounds in her pregnancy. Sarge just panted at her owner before plopping up on the sofa beside Alex and resting her head on the pregnant woman's lap affectionately. "The doctor told me she'll probably give birth around the same time as you, actually."

Alex raised her eyebrows again, "Really?" She looked down at the dog watching her, "And who's this mystery dog, Sarge? Can we meet him?"

Sarge looked back at her humans smugly as if to tell them that it was rude for a lady (of any species) to kiss and tell. She put her head back down where it had been previously resting on Alex's lap and promptly went back to sleep.

Lynne snorted, "Just like life, ain't it? My dog gets more action than I do!"

Alex grinned slyly at her, "I thought that's why you set up your dinner date tonight with Lewis? Seduction's on the table for dessert, isn't it?"

Lynne just grinned back evilly at her friend, "He'll never know what hit him."

The doorbell rang and Alex looked at the clock, "Oh, that'll be Bobby."

"Here to whisk you away to Vegas to get married?" Lynne joked with her. Alex had learned very early on that Bobby's ex-girlfriend held no ill will toward him, and truly wanted him to be happy. Apparently Lynne thought Alex could make him happy.

The detective glared at her, "No, here to drive me to my doctor's appointment." She patted her belly, "Baby likes how he drives."

Bobby couldn't understand why Lynne was laughing so hard for the life of him as he helped his partner into her coat and walked with her back to the elevator.

"What were you two talking about?" he asked his partner on the elevator ride down to the lobby.

Alex smirked at him, "Dogs."

---

"Eames?" Alex asked as she shifted her weight in her desk the next day. Bobby had gone out to get her some lunch and she was anxiously awaiting a call from Lynne about the previous night.

"Hi, it's me," the designer said. Alex could hear the grin that covered the other woman's face as she spoke.

"How'd it go?" Alex asked curiously even though she already knew.

"Even better than I thought it would," Lynne replied mysteriously, causing the detective to laugh and Bishop to look up in confusion.

"He was receptive?"

"Very."

"How much is 'very'?"

"Well … A lady really shouldn't kiss and tell … but he was limping when he left a couple hours ago."

Bobby gave his partner a inquisitive look as he passed her the fruit salad and turkey sandwich he had for her. Her smile never left her face as she thanked him and told the woman on the line, "I gotta go, Lynne. Food's here and the bump is telling me it's time to eat."

"Bye, Alex. Call me when you get off work."

"I will, bye."

Alex hung up the phone and turned to her partner with a sly grin, "Talked to Lewis yet today?" she asked innocently.

Bobby glanced at her curiously again as he said, "He called me while I was getting lunch. I take it Lynne was talking to you about the same thing?"

Alex nodded, rather pleased with herself, "I never really thought that they'd get together … but they make a cute couple, don't they?"

"Who?" Deakins asked as he walked to their desks to retrieve the sandwich he had asked Bobby to pick up for him.

"Lewis and Lynne," Bobby replied before he took a bite of his pastrami on rye.

Deakins nodded, "They are a cute couple."

As the conversation continued, and more detectives arrived to discuss Lynne's love life, a different Lynn, whose surname was Bishop, watched while pretending not to. Why did she feel like she was suddenly back in high school and missing a very important part of the social structure?

---

The next few weeks went by in a happy, busy blur for Lynne as she and Lewis adjusted to their relationship's new developments. Alex went on full maternity leave, occupying her time every week with some 'girl time' with Lynne and Alex's sister, Meg; and checking up on Bobby daily … or was that Bobby checking up on her?

Life was going as smooth as could be expected until the eventful Monday that Natalie didn't show up for work and didn't call in.

Lynne worriedly glanced at Natalie's desk for the fifth time in two minutes. It was nearing noon and there was still no sign of her assistant. Finally she sighed and picked up her phone.

"Goren," the burly detective on the other line answered.

"Bobby? It's Lynne. What are you doing right now?"

"Paperwork, why?"

"It's probably nothing … but Natalie hasn't shown up to work today and I haven't heard from her since Saturday."

"She didn't call in sick?"

"No, if she had she'd have called my direct line."

"I'll stop by her house and see if anything's wrong."

She sighed in relief knowing that something would be done about her missing assistant. "Thank you," she whispered, unable to say anything else do to the nagging feeling in her gut that told her what he found wouldn't be good.

"I'll call you and let you know what we find."

"Bye."

---

She couldn't stop the tears as she looked at the picture in front of her. Dead? Why did the people around her always end up dying?

Her tearstained face looked up at Bobby, "You already know it's her," she whispered. "She doesn't have any family here … just a cousin living in Gaza."

"Do you know how to contact them?" Bishop asked from her spot on the other side of the table. So this was the woman everyone seemed to be head over heels for? Lynn was sure she could take her.

"Joshua Shultz, his phone number should be in her file at the office," Lynne said, tears escaping again from her eyes. "I just can't believe she's dead. I saw her on Saturday."

"What time?"

The designer closed her eyes, trying to remember, "Um … we had a photo shoot for the new Vogue ads. It ended at one-thirty. We went out to lunch together at Del Posto with the photographer … last time I saw her was at three when she told me she was going to a party and would call me on Sunday." Lynne sniffed in her seat, the tears coming faster, "I checked my messages but the call never came. And when she didn't come into work today …"

The full onslaught of the tears racked Lynne's body as Bobby held her close, giving her what comfort he could. All Bishop could think was that it was odd how Goren could switch from bumbling detective to cuddly teddy bear in moments depending on whom he was with. She wondered if she'd ever be granted a Goren-hug. They looked nice.

There was a knock on the door to the interview room they were using. Bishop looked up to see five detectives looking worriedly at the sobbing woman in Goren's arms. He shook his head slightly at them, causing all to frown.

"What happened?" one asked … Mitch; she thought his name was – yes, Mitch Stevens.

Bobby glanced down at the picture on the table and Mitch's face went white. "Not Natalie," he said in horror. Bobby's grim face and Lynne's sobs were his only response.

---

Sarge's growing tummy and Lewis's sweet and loving ministrations allowed Lynne to take her mind off her friend's death for a few hours. It wasn't much, but it was all she had to cling to as her work life only caused harsh memories to surface.

A few days after Natalie's death Lynne was over as Lewis's house, early in the morning after a long night full of passion that could not be pent up.

She was watching him again. Not that he minded, of course, but the first time he had woken up to find her staring at him it had been a little unnerving.

"I love you," she whispered to his half-awake form.

"I love you, too," he replied, much to her shock, as he opened his eyes with a warm smile. "I think I've loved you for a long time."

"Then why didn't you say something?" she asked coyly.

He shrugged, "You were with Bobby."

"But I'm not anymore. Now I'm with you."

Lewis grinned like a fool as his hand went to stroke her arm, "I like the sound of that."

"So do I," she confessed, leaning in to take another kiss from his still swollen lips.

---

"And how did you know Natalie wasn't just still at that party she went to Saturday night?" Bishop asked the woman in front of her in the interview room.

Lynne glared at her and sighed – she had come in to give her statement before taking Alex to the spa to relax, only to be bombarded by Bobby's temporary partner trying to poke holes into her story. "I already told you, Detective Bishop, it was out of character for Natalie not to call me on Sunday but I thought that she might have met someone at the party and forgot. When she didn't come in to work on Monday I got worried and asked Bobby to go check in on her. Why are you trying to point the finger at me? I lost one of my closest friends and colleagues – I'd appreciate it if you got of my back and focused your efforts on finding the real killer!" Lynne nearly yelled at the end.

Bishop's gaze sharpened at the other woman as she hissed, "And I'd appreciate it if I could go through just one hour in this place without having to hear your name spoken like some damn guru's. I don't care who you used to fuck, Ms. Andrews, but the truth is I don't trust you and I don't care what the rest of the squad thinks about that."

Lynne's face went pale as she quietly digested the harsh words the other woman had said. Finally she had composed herself enough to stand and say in a near whisper, "Jealousy is a powerful thing, Detective. I just hope it won't cloud your judgment for too much longer. I'd really like an opertunity to properly mourn my friend before her memorial service."

She walked to the doorway before she turned and said as calmly as she could, "And never, ever try to make out my relationship with this squad as one that arose from my previous relationship with Bobby."

With that Mary Lynne strode purposefully through the squad room, stopping only once to say something to Detective Carolyn Sparre before she left the bullpen. When Bishop walked by Carolyn and Mitch Steven's conjoined desks she heard them say:

"I can't believe it's spa day again," Mitch groaned.

Carolyn just laughed at him as she packed up her things, "You're just jealous because Deakins gave me the afternoon off so I could go with Alex and Lynne." She cocked her head to one side and added, "Or is it because I get to see them wearing nothing but towels?"

Mitch glared at his partner, "Like I'd touch either one of them – Deakins would have my ass and I don't fancy the idea of getting into a fist fight with Goren, thanks all the same."

Sean Pearle, sitting at his desk a few feet away, looked up at Mitch's words, "Spa day?" He looked at the calendar, "Hmm. Didn't realize it was Friday again so soon. You goin' to the party Lynne's havin' for Sarge on Sunday?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't miss it for the world, Sean – heard she even sent out to some place in Maryland for a cake shaped like Sarge, too – belly and all."

"How many do you think she'll have?" Sean's partner, Anthony Dylan asked as he sat down with a cup of coffee.

"I put my money on five," Mitch replied as Bishop just sat in her desk, pleased that she was still close enough to hear everything going on. Maybe it would help her learn a little more about the woman they all seemed to love so much.

"She shouldn't even be pregnant in the first place – I said three," Sean replied. "You know she made the cake with Sarge in the middle and the pups on the outside to show how many there are. It's gonna look so cool."

Carolyn just rolled her eyes and smirked at her coworkers, "It's like being back in high school again, I swear. See you Sunday."

"See you Sunday," the other three replied in unison as she left.

"Damn," Anthony said, looking at the calendar, "When's Natalie's funeral?"

"She's getting buried in Israel, Tony, there's just going to be a memorial service here," Sean replied. "The service is on Tuesday at seven."

Sean's gaze flickered to Lynn, who was doing a poor job of hiding her interest, "You comin' on Sunday?"

Lynn shrugged, "I wasn't aware I was invited."

Mitch grinned, "Everyone's invited."

"Yeah, come on," Anthony piped in, seeing how Bishop was wavering on the verge of giving in, "We'll pick you up on our way. You like dogs, don't you?"

Bishop nodded, how they knew that she'd never know, "Why?"

"Lynne's got a great Doberman – used to be a police dog – anyway, she's pregnant and that's what the party's for," Sean explained.

As the other detectives got back to work Lynn Bishop had to wonder just how much of what she had said to Mary Lynne Andrews had been the truth.

---

Bobby heaved a sigh as he set the dinner plates in the sink and went to watch the movie Eames had picked out. He loved how feminine she looked when she came back from the spa treatments with Lynne and Carolyn, and it sent shivers down his spine to think of the exfoliation treatments he knew she had been receiving. Of course, he'd never let her know that.

"What is it?" Alex asked him as she took the cup of tea he offered her. "You seem tired, Bobby. Is it a case?"

Bobby shook his head, driving the heel of his hand into the bridge of his nose. "Bishop doesn't like Lynne," he finally said, removing his hand from his face as he looked at his stunning partner, "And I have no clue why."

Alex smirked at him, "She's jealous of Lynne, Bobby. Just like she's jealous of me."

"What? Why?"

"Because of our relationships with you," Alex replied confidently. "Now get me a blanket, my feet are cold."

He chuckled softly as he got up to do just that, and get her the pair of socks that she hadn't asked for but probably wanted anyway even if she couldn't put them on by herself anymore. Bobby didn't know what to think about her analysis of Lynn Bishop's feelings toward two of the most important women in his life. Why should she be jealous?

Alex glared at her partner when she saw the fluffy socks in his hand, but it soon turned to a soft smile when he sat on the other side of the sofa and started to massage her ice cold feet before putting them into the warmest pair of socks she owned. "Ohhh, I could get used to this," she said as she flexed her now comfortable toes. Bobby just smiled at her and shifted so that he was sitting beside her again, in the perfect spot to be her pillow as he turned on the black and white classic staring Ginger Rodgers called: The Major and the Minor.

As she snuggled up against his chest she said, "You spoil me, Bobby."

"You should be spoiled," he replied softly as he put his arm around her to keep her close as they watched the movie.

About half way through she grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach. "I think you'll want to feel this," she said right before the baby boy kept safe and warm inside Alex's womb kicked at Bobby's hand fiercely.

He smiled fondly as the babe kicked again, causing him to gaze in awe at how his hand was able to engulf such a large portion of Alex's stomach that contained the greatest gift God ever gave man. Bobby could only hope that one day he was granted that same gift with the woman sitting next to him.

---

Sarge was lavishing in the attention being bestowed on her from almost all her people when the doorbell rang and she smelled the scent of an unfamiliar human. Deciding this potential threat needed investigating, the very pregnant pooch rose from where she was on top of the sofa and followed her human to see to what manner of person this strange new smell belonged.

Lynne opened the door and her eyes grew wide with shock as she saw not only Mitch and Sean standing there, but Lynn Bishop as well. Sarge barked happily at the new arrivals before going over to examine Bishop and make sure she could pass as well. "Detective Bishop," the hostess said surprise evident in her voice, as her dog welcomed the new woman into the house without so much as a customary warning growl most of the other detectives had received.

"Come in," Lynne said, remembering her manners as she ushered the three into the rest of the penthouse. "It seems Sarge likes you, Detective Bishop."

Bishop shrugged, "My parents bred show dogs when I was little and I've always had an affinity for animals."

"Ah," Lynne said before she was called away to settle a rather humorous dispute between Howard and Fin over 'whose horse is bigger'.

As the party progressed, Lynn Bishop was able to see a different side in her colleagues and no longer wondered why they loved the petite designer with such ferocity as they did: Lynne gave the detectives a place where they could be themselves without having to worry about what others thought of them.

"Are you ready for the real fun to begin?" a nameless detective from a different squad asked Bishop, jarring her from her thoughts.

"What?" she asked, unsure what the unknown man meant by his words.

He smiled slightly and pointed to the table where a cake shaped in perfect replica of Sarge, with three puppies gathered around her feet, sat beside Goren and Eames. "They do this every time."

"Do what?" Lynn Bishop asked softly as she watched the very pregnant Eames sit down on the far side of the table while Bobby sat on the nearer side.

"Arm wrestle to see who gets to cut the cake," he replied. "I'm James, one of Lynne's assistants," he held out his hand to the detective, "You must be the other Lynn."

Bishop looked at him oddly as she took his hand, "Detective Lynn Bishop. How'd you know that?"

James shushed her, "They're about to start."

Bishop watched in fascination as match between the partners intensified and the rest of the room cheered on whichever one they thought would win. "It's like this every time," James whispered in her ear. "He tried letting her win the first time," with a chuckle he added, "Let's just say no one underestimates Alex Eames' ability to hold her own. Least of all Bobby Goren."

When Bobby finally got Alex's hand down to the table, cheers sprang forth from half the room while the other half silently huffed with Eames at the loss.

"It's just because the bump put me off balance," Alex said with a smirk as he partner eagerly cut the masterpiece of a cake.

"Of course, Eames."

"Do you see now?" Lynne asked Bishop, startling her again. She really had to pay more attention to the people around her.

Lynn didn't need to ask what the other woman was referring to. She nodded once, "I … I didn't realize how much –"

"They need this?" Lynne finished for her with raised eyebrows, "Well, everyone needs a place to relax if only for a few hours." It has absolutely nothing to do with the relationship I once had with Bobby, the designer added silently through her eyes.

Bishop nodded again, letting her know the message had been received loud and clear.

"Good," Lynne said with a nod, motioning the detective forward, "Cake?"

A/N: Del Posto is one of the many restaurants owned by Mario Batali. If you haven't got it yet from my other references to him, he's one of my favorite chefs. Reviews?

I really didn't expect this thing to take so long, but it was how it wanted to be written. I hadn't even planned on killing off Natalie!