A/N – Thanks to all readers and reviewers; you are very inspiring. A quick timeline note; the last chapter ended just before the events of Siren Call; this one picks up just after.

7:36 PM

Alex sat at her desk, staring blankly at her laptop screen. As promised, she'd dropped Bobby off at his car so he could go visit his mother, and returned to the office herself to file the paperwork closing out the Wiznesky case. Well, closing it out might be too strong a phrase; essentially, they were handing it over to IAB, who would be reviewing the actions (and inactions) of the officer whose gun was used by Wiznesky. While she felt disdain for the officer having been so foolhardy as to cuff the veteran cop's hands in front of him, she was also sympathetic. The young cop was about to go through the wringer, and having just been through IAB's special brand of hell herself (and not for the first time), she knew the kind of inner strength it would take to get through. She hoped he had a good support system.

Hah. Her inner voice taunted, Who are you to talk about support systems? Your partner and so-called friend didn't even bother to tell you about his mother's cancer. You like to think of yourself as the person he tells everything to…think again, hotshot.

She slammed the laptop cover shut and basically threw the folder into Ross' inbox. It was bad enough to feel like shit about not being there for your partner, but when your own conscience started berating you about it, it was time to take action.

9:50 PM

Roundhouse. Thwack, whoosh. Dance, dance, side kick. Thwack, whoosh. Shuffle, shuffle, push kick. Thwack. Bob and weave, bob and weave, roundhouse. Thwack, whoosh. Dance, dance, side kick. Thwack, wh..

"What in the HELL are you doing, Eames?"

Sweaty and disoriented, Alex looked up into the enraged face of her partner, who apparently had grabbed the heavy bag and stopped its motion from her last side kick.

"I'm working out."

"I can see that, Detective Eames. Why are you…"

Oooh, Detective Eames. I'm scared now. "Well, I'm kicking because I'm not allowed to punch for a while. There's still some lingering soft tissue damage in my shoulders, so…"

"EAMES!"

"So I figured I'd brush up on my kicks, in case I have to take down a perp with something other than my knee. Good idea, right?" She was ignoring the near-purple hue his face had taken on. He's pissed at me? HE'S pissed at ME? Screw him. Without warning, she pivoted on her right foot and landed a roundhouse directly behind his right knee. She was thrilled when she managed to resist the urge to shout "Timber!" when he went down, but less thrilled with the fact that his windmilling arms caught her in the middle of her back and brought her right down with him.

Next thing she knew, she was laying facedown, on a thankfully soft gym mat, next to more than 200 pounds of stunned and truly pissed off Bobby. Well, it's on now, I guess.

"Eames, why the hell did you do that?" Bobby spoke through clenched teeth. Alex could see that he was struggling to maintain some level of composure, but it was bound to be a losing battle.

"You know what, Goren? It's about damn time someone took you down a peg, you arrogant son of a bitch. I'm just glad I got to be the one to do it." Alex stood up, brushing herself off, chin held high in defiance. She was proud that she held his gaze, despite seeing a dark anger in his eyes that was usually reserved for the interrogation room.

"Detective, forgive me for being concerned about you. I've been calling your cell for hours, I stopped by your apartment and you weren't there, you weren't at the squad. I was worried, is that all right by you? Is that allowed?"

"No," Alex was shaking now, with anger and…something else, too. "I don't need a babysitter, Bobby. I am a grown woman, and if I want to work out without checking in with you, I can do that. Do me a favor – stop trying to take care of me. It's pissing me off!"

Bobby grabbed her arm, none too gently. "I have no interest in being your babysitter, but I will not stop trying to take care of you. You're my partner, you got hurt, and I want to look out for you, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" The pain in his eyes was too much. Alex pulled away from him, stumbling, not even sure where she was going. She sat down hard and took a few deep breaths, keeping her eyes focused on the ground. I can't keep doing this. I need to get my emotions under control.

When she felt she could trust herself, she looked up to see if he was even still there. He was staring at her, still a little angry, clearly very confused, and he, too, was trying to get himself under control.

"Why didn't you tell me, Bobby?"

The anger was gone now, but the confusion and hurt remained. He looked down at her, a woman he wasn't even sure he knew at the moment, and wondered how the hell this fight had even happened. He spoke softly "Tell you about what, Eames? Did I miss something?"

"Your, your mother. Why didn't you tell me? I would have been there for you." Alex looked up at him, knowing what he would say, hoping he wouldn't say it.

"I didn't want to worry you. You have enough on your plate without taking on my problems too."

Her anger was back in a flash and she was on her feet again, in his face. "Jesus Christ, Bobby! We're partners, or at least we were partners. This is the kind of thing you tell your partner, especially if she's your friend. The last goddamn thing I need right now is you, of all people, treating me like there's something wrong with me. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME. I got kidnapped, and it sucked, and I know it sucked for you too, but every time you try to protect me, you…" She was desperately trying not to cry now, hoping she could turn back time, take the damn cell phone to the gym, and avoid having ever had this dangerous conversation.

He had moved closer now; his eyes were softer, searching hers for an answer she didn't want to give. "Eames, finish what you're saying. Every time I try to protect you,"

"You make me feel like a victim again." She put her hand over her eyes to shield them from him. These were not feelings she wanted her partner to have to cope with. "Bobby, I thought you told me everything, because that was our deal. As long as we're partners, we tell all, the good stuff and the bad. When you keep things from me, it makes me think that maybe you don't see me as a partner anymore. Maybe I'm just…damaged goods."

To say that Bobby was taken aback by this outburst would be an understatement. He couldn't seem to find words to say to her; for once, his ability to respond to everything said to him was missing.

Alex took her hand from her eyes and just looked at him, tears freely flowing now, and she just didn't care. "That's what I thought."

Before he knew it, she was gone.