Disclaimer:All of the characters are the property of Dick Wolf. I thank him, the writers, the directors and all the great actors who brought them "to life" for our benefit. Any "liberties" I have taken with them stems from my fond admiration (and a few personal quirks I will seek "help" for).

AN: This story is not set within the accepted "canon" for the characters as it is only officially portrayed by the TV series. So I get to "fool around" with them in ways in which they've never been seen, stretching that to the limit and suspending the "reality" that is "fiction" to start with…now there's a contradiction in terms!!!

(And yeah Goren I know the proper word for that is oxymoron…of course they sent for the cops…"Shirt and shoes must be worn" does not mean you are excused pants…I'll be along with the bail money later…I'm busy right now…)

Bobby is determined to get the right birthday present for Alex…

A VERY, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Every year Bobby Goren struggled to know what to get his partner Alex Eames for her birthday. To get right the balance between something "personal", which showed he had given it thought and not being too "mundane", which ruled out things from his favourite hardware stores.

As the month began, he started to pay rather closer attention to some things she said as they went about their daily routine. Trying to pick up a clue to what Eames might need or want so at least the gift would be practical or useful. But he'd no intention of buying that leather sofa she "loved" in Macy's window. For one thing it was far too large to fit in her small apartment and for another, gift-wrapping it neatly would be impossible.

Similarly, something as a "treat" wasn't about to stretch as far as a "World Cruise on the QE2" even if the travel agent they visited to question a witness was doing "amazing discounts". The money wasn't so much the issue, as the fact Bobby didn't want to be stuck with another partner for the four months she would be gone.

He didn't much like "eavesdropping" but every conversation Eames was having on the phone or in the hallways had his ears "pricking up", metaphorically speaking. And in the end it was a discussion she was having at the lunch table with some of the other female detectives that offered the best clue.

Bobby had some doubts about whether it was entirely an appropriate gift to get a co-worker, never mind that Eames even wanted one. But at a loss to know what else to get he went off to find a supplier. Listened carefully to the expert advice he was offered by the clerk in the store, since it was something outside his own experience to know which was best, and took it home.

It took him almost half an hour to do the gift-wrapping just right. Even with a pair of left handed scissors to help him with the pink paper and ribbon he thought Eames would like. And then with her birthday on a Saturday this year, he sort of teased her a little by not taking it to 1PP with him the day before.

Instead, he got up very early that morning, drove to her apartment and left the package outside the door with her birthday card. Bobby was slightly surprised to not get a call from Alex over the whole weekend to thank him, even though she was having a big family party for the occasion might have kept her busy.

Monday Morning

When Eames arrived she was close to half an hour late as she sat at her desk with a yawn.

"Good weekend?" Bobby asked rather hurt she'd not been in touch with him. It would have been good manners if nothing else.

"Wonderful" she sighed with a grin. "Thanks to you Bobby and your birthday gift. Touch of genius from you yet again"

Bobby felt his face flush. "I hope it…just um…I overheard you say…otherwise I wouldn't have…er…but"

"It was kind of embarrassing to open in front of my family I'll admit" she shrugged "And it wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted a rabbit. But it says an awful lot about how your mind works Goren"

"Oh shit" blushed Bobby at the sudden realisation he should have gone to a pet store.

AN: Can you just imagine Bobby at the store and all the questions he'd want answered before making a decision which one to buy??? Heck that would be a story in its own right…hmmm…