Disclaimer: Don't own any CI characters this is to make up for all the other chapters. Dick Wolf rocks!

Chapter 4 – Burning

Alex sat down on the couch in Bobby's apartment half frustrated and half confused. She felt like a bus had hit her, not like she would know but she could imagine what it felt like. Her head seem to be spinning in circles that were endless. She tried to think of her life before Zane came back.

All she wanted was peace and she got it, not for very long but she certainly enjoyed it as much as she did. She sighed in annoyance. Bobby was in the kitchen getting coffee. She could almost feel Bobby's sympathy for her from the kitchen; she didn't want to be a vulnerable helpless child that needed all the pity she could get out of him. All she wanted was someone like Bobby to talk to and to understand her. He would want to understand what she thinking and feeling right then and there. She didn't realize Bobby sat down next to her until he put the coffee under her nose. She smiled at him weakly.

"Thanks," she said warmly. Bobby just smiled at her. She guessed he was thinking of what he should say.

"You know Kelly is a bitch," he said, firmly.

"Yeah," Alex murmured to him. "West is gonna rip me to shreds," she added, shaking her head.

"Not if I can help it," Bobby answered, firmly.

"Your ego bruised?" she asked, sarcastically. He laughed at her. It was amazing to him that she could still make a joke in tense situation, like when she shooed off a computer guy for having a website that told you how to kill yourself. He was complaining how his website got shut down and let him off on a plea bargain.

"Now you can do your little dance in hell now," she said sarcastically to him and took his seat. Bobby remembered he smiled widely but didn't dare to laugh because the guy was already pissed off enough.

He remembered her being like that to another suspect when she tried to get something out of him.

Typical her, she managed to find something funny in every situation. Bobby put his arm around her; she snuggled up to him like he was her favourite pillow. She loved the warmth of his strong arm around her small shoulders. She could feel his heart beating in her back; she loved the way he knew what she was thinking.
Their partnership had gone a long way since they first got together. Alex smiled at remembering Bobby at first sight, all those rumours that put her in doubt if she really wanted to work with a 'super cop' doing weird things in the interrogation room with suspects, making everyone around him wondering what theory he was dreaming up next. But after a while she trusted his judgment so well that she would go along with his theories.

Even if his theories had something completely different from what the case had been displaying from evidence. He was a really something, a piece of work occasionally Deakins described him lately to her. She was just smiled at what Deakins kept describing him as.

Deakins to always describe her as a tough cat, which she didn't know what that meant because he seemed to call her that when she kicked a guy's ass in the interrogation room. Bobby squeezed her hand again. She looked up at him amorously and smiled. She laid her head down on his chest and closed her eyes.

The next morning Alex woke up in the bed next to Bobby. He must have moved her from the couch last night because she didn't remember moving. She glanced at Bobby who was sleeping peacefully. She smiled and glanced at the digital clock.

It was only five o'clock in the morning, in four hours she had to testify to Zane Callahan. She shook her head in disgust and couldn't believe she let Lilly make her testify for her. She started to feel like she was burning inside her stomach. She thought it could be sickness but it didn't seem to fit what she was thinking of.

Then she realized it could be revenge just like what Zane was burning for his revenge on her.

Burning for revenge was what she was thinking of. It seemed strange to her that she was only burning for it not crying out, or killing for revenge which seemed to be better to fit her situation. Alex quietly got up from the bed and put on her robe. She tiptoed out of the bedroom and into the study where Bobby's computer sat. She sat down on the black computer chair and turned on the computer.

While the computer was loading she decided to get some coffee from the kitchen. The coffee woke her up more than she thought and sat down in the front of the screen. She saw the background of the computer and realized it was from the Major Case Squad dance.

It was their first year together and they danced. Bobby was the best dancer since her late husband. She smiled at the picture. She couldn't believe how long they had been together solving difficult cases for all those years. She didn't realized how long she was staring at the computer screen because she sensed a shadow near the door.

"What are you doing?" Bobby asked, yawning and walking over to her, and sitting down on a vacant chair next to the computer chair.

"Just about to look up stuff," she answered him.

"And that stuff would be Zane or Lilly Callahan?" he guessed and sat down.

"Is it that obvious?" Alex said sarcastically and turned to the screen.

"Yeah," he said softly. "August fourth," he added to her.

"What?"

"The picture, that's when it was taken," Bobby explained and leaned in his chair.

"First dance together," she added in smiling at him.

"I fell in love with you the day I met you," he confessed to her, looking down at the seat.

"Me too," she agreed to him. He looked up at her and smiled at her. Alex remembered hearing those rumours about him being weird during interrogations, smelling dead bodies and doing weird things to get the criminal to confess. She knew he had so many partners before her but they never seemed to stay with him for more than three months or less.

"March fourth," Alex murmured.

"The day we met," they said in unison. Alex kissed Bobby on the lips firmly and pulled away. He smiled at her tenderly and stroked her cheek softly. He only noticed silent tears flowing down her pale face. He wiped them away and kissed again softly. He heard her giggle as he hugged and kissed her again.

"Detective can you tell me why you all of sudden want to testify yourself?" ADA West asked her when she was standing outside the courtroom. She looked up at him in surprise and confusion.

"Is that any of your business?" she shot back at him and looked for Bobby. He wanted to talk to Carver before entering the courtroom. He stepped closer to her and smiled.

"I'll rip you to shreds," he hissed at her.

"Is that a threat West?" she sneered at him. "If it was I can get your ass kicked into jail before you can say witness," she challenged him. He smirked at her and shook his head.

"Witness," he scoffed and walked away with a grin on his face, which made shivers down her spine. She looked around and saw Bobby coming towards her with a look of concern on his face. He came over to her and hugged her.

"Did West threaten you?" he asked.

"No," she answered and saw Zane looking at them, his eyes looked like a fire balls from hell. She looked away from him and followed A.D.A West into the courtroom. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

"Its okay, Carver will take care of you," he whispered in her ear. "I will take care of you," he added softly and kissed her on the forehead.

She smiled at him. She knew Bobby was always going to be there for her no matter what happened. She stepped in the courtroom and felt the whole room turn silent like she was criminal getting prosecuted for ten murders in one day. She noticed Lilly sitting up the back grinning like she won first prize in a pie eating competition.

She glanced around and saw Deakins with his wife Angie. She met Angie a couple of times and glad she was there to get support. Carver gave her a pat on the back as she sat down for support.

"Don't worry, Alex I got your back," he whispered to her. She nodded and glanced sideways and saw Bobby sitting with Deakins and Angie.

"All rise," the bailiff said suddenly. Everyone in the courtroom stood up silently as Judge Kelly walked in with her high heels clicking. She sat down and stared at her.

"Sit down," she ordered and was still staring at Alex. Alex sat down and leaned in Carver ear.

"Did I do something to piss Kelly off," she whispered.

"She hates every woman on the stand," he answered to her and sat back. Alex rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. Carver stood up and addressed the jury.

"Jury, I can tell you now this isn't a fair trial, first Detective Eames unwanted past, Zane Callahan has come back and killed off her friends. Secondly she has been raped by a juvenile criminal who apparently wanted revenge on her for sending him to jail where he belongs and thirdly for not having the perpetrator thrown into jail in the first place," he breathed in silently. "I would like to call up Detective Alexandra Eames to the stand," he addressed. Alex stood up silently and went to the stand. Judge Kelly was glaring at her like she was Satan of hell.

Alex breathed in deeply and looked around the room. Bobby was sitting next to Deakins who was looking worried, like when the brass was skinning him for more answers of a tough case. Angie, his wife was giving her a small smile. She smiled back weakly.

"So, Detective how long, have you known Mr. Callahan?" Carver asked, stepping towards her, with his eyes full of concern.

"Eight years," she answered, numbly. She could only hear the footsteps of Carver pacing from her to the jury.

"Detective did you want to raped in a basement?" he asked.

"No, I didn't ask for it," she answered. Carver was taking care of her all right.

"Would you like to tell us the story of in the basement?"

"Yes," Alex answered, nervously and took a deep breath. She explained them very thoroughly of what Zane and Lilly did to during those hours she was held captive. The way they mentally and physically tortured her and Bobby during the horrible hours. When Zane raped her and the way he left her. When she was finished Carver thanked her and sat down. ADA West stood up immediately a smile playing on his face. Oh no, she thought, worriedly. Here comes the killer.

"Detective Eames, why do you think Zane raped you?" he asked, turning himself to the jury.

"I don't know," she answered, firmly.

"Did Zane tell you why he raped you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Why?" he said, tilting his head to the side. Alex almost laughed because she had seen the same move some many times during investigation when Bobby was questioning a suspect.

"Because he apparently loved me," she answered, the whole courtroom went silently. Bobby looked at Alex; her eyes were full of hurt.

"When did he tell you this?" A.D.A. West asked, quickly.

"When I was held captive, after raping me," she answered, angrily. "He asked me 'he's still winning isn't he?' I was confused at first but he was talking about my partner Detective Goren," she answered, confidently. West's eyes grew wider in excitement. He glanced at Zane then back at her. Zane mouthed 'thank you' to her and blew her a kiss. Alex started to panic; she suddenly knew what she got herself into.

"What do you think he meant by that?" ADA West asked, swiftly.

"I-I don't know," she stammered. Bobby was slightly confused but suddenly realized what was happening.

"Maybe, it's because you are sleeping with him, is that right Detective?" A.D.A. West asked her. The whole courtroom sprung into noise and gasps, making Alex even more nervous than ever. Shit, shit, that damn bastard, he knew, she thought angrily. She wanted to kick herself for everything she said.

"Order, order," Judge Kelly yelled, the gavel pounding on the desk. The room suddenly went quiet and waited for the trial to go on.

Carver stood up in anger.

"Objection, badgering the witness," he yelled, making the whole jury jump in fright. ADA West was smirking with joy as he saw the look on her face.

"Sustained," Kelly snapped. "Please answer the question, Detective," she added and glanced at West. Alex looked from Deakins to Bobby. Deakins was listening very closely, his eyes questioning her answer. The courtroom was so silent you could hear a pin drop from the other side of the building.

"Answer the question, Detective," Judge Kelly ordered, angrily. She hesitated, looking from Bobby to ADA West.

"Yes," Alex answered, softly.

"What was that, Detective," ADA West pushed on. Alex glared at him furiously.

"YES," she screamed, angrily standing up. "And what the hell does that have to do with me getting raped and my three fucking friends getting killed by this drug addicted bastard, over here," she added angrily.

"Sit down, Detective, or I will put you contempt," Judge Kelly sneered at her. Alex sat down and hung her head, not letting anyone see how upset she was. The outburst came out so suddenly that she knew she would never be able to win the trial and never have justice for her friends.

A/N: Thank you for waiting for the chapter since I sort of promised to post shortly after and remember to review! I can take criticism of any kind even maybe harsh but all I want to do is to get better! Thank you.