I don't own these characters but I wish those who did would get the new shows on the air already.

Bobby's scream woke Alex from a dead sleep instantly. She moved to kneel in front of him on the bed. Taking hold of his shoulders Alex gently shook him.

"Bobby..." His eyes were wide open, but she could tell he was still trapped in the nightmare. "Bobby! Wake up!" Bobby's eyes blinked a couple of times and suddenly Alex found herself crushed in his arms.

"OH, Thank God you're alive." He cried and he held on to her as though his life depended on it. When his grip lessened so that she could move, Alex moved up against the head board and pulled Bobby down so that his head was resting on her chest. They stayed that way for close to an hour with Alex holding Bobby and gently running her fingers through his hair. Finally when she sensed that he was calmed down she asked him.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Not really, but I suppose that it wouldn't be fair. If I don't, you'll probably make sure to tell Dr. Olivet at our next appointment."

"If you don't want to talk about it, I won't push you and I won't blackmail you into it either. Something I learned this past week is that it really does get better when you get it out in the open."

"So you're saying you're not going to have nightmares anymore just because you talked about it?" Bobby said skeptically.

"No! That's not what I am saying. I am saying that I felt better for having told you first about the nightmare and secondly, why it terrified me so much."

"Some how I don't think my telling you my nightmare is going to help either one of us."

"I'm sorry you think that, but, when you're ready, I 'm here to listen and to try to help you."

"Please don't be mad at me about this Alex."

"I'm not mad Bobby, but I am a little hurt that you won't open up to me. I had hoped that would change now."

Bobby sat up again and moved to the edge of the bed. He sat there with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "I want to tell you but it'll just cause you more hurt and pain."

Alex moved over to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Bobby, I love you. Please let me help you"

"I had this dream...nightmare off and on for the last few years. The case tonight brought it back." He took a deep breath before continuing, knowing he was about to reopen her old wounds. "It all goes back to Joe Gage."

Alex drew back and Bobby turned sideways on the bed so he could look at her. He could already see the pain on her face as she mentally went back to her time as a hostage.

"See," he said gently. "I knew just this would hurt you more."Alex mentally shook herself and reached her hand out to stroke his face.

"No, I'm ok. This is about you not me. You said it goes back to her. In what way?"

"If you're sure." He said and she nodded so he continued. "As far as I remember you didn't read any of the follow up reports after she was arrested" Bobby paused and waited for her to nod again. "What you don't know then is that we thought that Sebastian had brought you back to the police garage in the back of your own car. When we got there I was so afraid to open the trunk. Afraid that you would be in there and that I was too late. When we did open the trunk there was a body but well you know whose it was. Anyways so that is basically my nightmare. I am running down a long line of cars in the garage opening trunks looking for you and then they all sort of open at once and then there you are with your throat sliced." His mind refocused on the here and now instead of in his nightmare and he sees tears rolling down her cheeks and realizes that they are running down his as well when she gently wipes them away. He decided it was best to get it all out so he continued. "All the eyes on all your bodies open and all of you start saying how you had been hanging there waiting for me and I didn't come. That I wasn't there when you needed me."

"Bobby" Alex said gently. She waited until she was sure he was listening to her before she continued. "It...Wasn't...your...fault. I never blamed you for not finding me. I know you were trying and there was no way you could have known how far over the edge she was."

"I should have seen it. I should have known. I should have found you."

"Bobby stop it. The only one blaming you is you." Bobby just shook his head and was about to say something else that Alex was sure was going to be self abuse. "Listen to me Bobby, and tell me this. Did you stop looking for me?" She waited for him to answer.

"No."

"Did you intend to stop looking for me?"

"No"

"If I had died, would you have stopped looking for my killer?"

"NO!" He said with an anguished cry. "Don't even talk about that!"

"My point is Bobby, you did everything humanly possible, so please stop blaming yourself for Joe Gage's psychopathic deeds. She is the only one to blame."

"There is something else you should know, but please don't get mad at me until I am done."

"Is it more to do with the nightmare?"

"Yes and no. See I failed to protect you from the Gages so that fact had a big impact on my decision to follow orders not to tell you about the undercover job."

"What?"

Alex jumped up off the bed and stormed across the room before turning back around to face him. "What did you just say?" She demanded.

"So much for waiting to get mad." He said mostly under his breath. "Look these were really bad guys. If I had told you what I was doing, you would have insisted on trying to help or something. They might have figured out just how much you mean to me and they could have used you in any number of ways."

Alex just stood there looking at him.

"Alex, honey, please understand."

"Oh, I understand alright. After what happened with Joe Gage you don't think I can hold my own against the bad guys."

"Hey, I never said that! You know how undercover works and you know from your time in Vice that sometimes these guys will use any bit of leverage they can to secure someone's loyalty. You could have been that leverage and then who knows what would have happened."

Alex leaned against the wall. "I hadn't thought" She said as she slid down to the floor.

Bobby came over and squatted down next to her. "You see it now though don't you? There is nothing that I wouldn't have done for them if they threatened you. I needed to keep you on the outside for your safety even if it meant hurting you emotionally."

"Man, we are quite the pair aren't we?" She said.

"Come on," He said. "Let's get you back to bed." Bobby lifted Alex and settled her back in the bed and laid down with her.

"I'm so tired." Alex said.

"I know baby so am I, nightmares will do that to you."

"Good night Bobby. I love you."

"I love you too, g-night"

"Pleasant dreams"

"Let's hope."

A/N: Do you think Alex would let it go at that? Well we'll see.