Here's hoping I've maintained a reasonable timeline.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Alex shook the soft flakes of snow from her hair as she entered the hospital. A large, brightly decorated tree, its lights blinking cheerfully, stood in the lobby. There were other signs of the season—wreaths on walls and windows, lights strung on counters, and even a few bits of mistletoe hanging from light fixtures. It was five days before Christmas, and for once in her life—certainly for the first time since she'd become a member of Major Case—Alex was ready for the holiday. She had presents, good presents, for everyone, except Bobby. They didn't usually exchange gifts, except for silly ones, but Alex felt that after the horrible year he'd experienced Bobby deserved something special. She was worried about how Bobby would deal with the holidays even before the incident at Tate. His recovery from his time at Tate had taken up Thanksgiving, but one of Alex's fears regarding Bobby's suspension was that it meant he would have to deal with Christmas. Bobby did little to celebrate. He volunteered for extra duty, played Santa for various NYPD functions (Alex was grateful to learn that until the bank robbery Bobby was still in great demand for his portrayal of the man in the red suit), and visited his mother. This year he wouldn't have his job or his mother and he'd be hurting physically and emotionally.

The doctors were almost ready to release him from the hospital, but they were adamant that he not be sent to an empty, lonely apartment. Alex knew, in spite of Bobby's feigned indifference, that he desperately wanted out of the hospital, if only to escape the politicians, the Brass, and the grateful ex-hostages and their families. These visits zapped his strength. For the politicians and the Brass, Bobby had only to maintain a civil façade and polite manner, but the others required an emotional battle for which he had few weapons. Ben Mitchell and his mother were the first and most frequent of these visitors. During their last visit Alex glimpsed Bobby's face at a point where he thought no one was looking at him. It bore an expression of self loathing and despair that broke Alex's heart. It was a rare, brief view of Bobby's thoughts. He maintained an attitude of calm bemusement; he was quiet, polite, and gentle. The nurses loved him, but puzzled that Alex was his only visitor who seemed to have a personal connection with him. There was no sign of Donnie or Frank, and Bobby didn't mention them.

"He's alone…so alone," Alex thought as she rode the hospital's elevator. She realized that it had been months, maybe more than a year, since Bobby spoke of even a date. There had been hints of something between him and Carolyn Barek, and Alex knew that the end of that "something" had something to do with Barek's departure from Major Case. Alex knew Bobby had many friends, but few were close and many were outside of Bobby's usual circle of contact. Many of these attended his mother's funeral, but even those individuals knew little about his life. Some hadn't even learned of his mother's last illness until the funeral. As they stood watching Bobby at the graveside Lewis sadly told Alex that he'd barely spoken to Bobby in months.

As Alex approached Bobby's room, she saw a medium sized, grey-haired man leaving it. He had an air of authority, and Alex guessed he might be a doctor, although he didn't resemble any of those Alex knew to be treating Bobby. The man walked away without seeing Alex, who watched him depart with some curiosity. Alex knocked on Bobby's door; when there wasn't an immediate response, she knocked again. There was no sound from inside the room, and Alex hesitantly opened the door.

His eyes closed, Bobby lay back against his pillows. He was very pale and looked exhausted. For a moment Alex thought he might be asleep, but she realized tears were squeezing through Bobby's eyelids. Alex took a deep breath.

"Hey," she said softly.

Bobby blinked and turned away from her, but not before Alex saw tears slip down his cheeks.

"I didn't mean to surprise you," she said evenly. She decided ignoring the tears until Bobby wanted to talk was a better route. "I saw someone leave the room. I didn't recognize him."

Bobby hid his wiping away of the tears by blowing his nose. "That…that was the psychiatrist I've been seeing. He's been to see me a couple of times."

Alex felt a chill as she realized the doctor could keep Bobby from returning to work.

"I…I asked him to come," Bobby said with the air of a man making a confession. "I mean…he contacted me when he read about what happened at the bank…and I wanted to talk to him."

Alex sat carefully in the chair next to Bobby's bed. "What does he say?"

Bobby fidgeted with his blankets. "He says…I'm still good to go…Which means it's up to me…"

Bobby's word hung in the air between them. Alex didn't know what to say. She knew what she wanted to say. She wanted to tell Bobby that she wanted, needed, him to come back. And she knew that if Bobby Goren wasn't part of the NYPD, she didn't want to be part of it either. The revelation stunned her.

"Alex…Is anything wrong?" Bobby asked.

"I'm sorry," Alex said, rousing from her dark study. "I…You have a lot to consider…"

Bobby nodded. "Yea…at least I'll have plenty of time to think about it…I don't know if they're ever going to let me out of here."

"About that," Alex said carefully. "I know the main problem is that the doctors don't want you to go home alone."

"I…I'll be ok," Bobby muttered.

"Bobby," Alex said patiently. "You're on heavy painkillers…You're weak and hurt…You need someone to make sure you're eating well…Eating at all…And…" Alex took a deep breath and entered dangerous waters. "And you shouldn't be alone…not during this holiday…"

"Alex," Bobby said. "You shouldn't have to…"

"You're my partner…my friend," Alex said gently but firmly. "Besides…I may have a solution."

Bobby battled his thoughts. "You owe her," he thought. "At least listen to her…She deserves a lot more than that…"

"My older sister," Alex continued. "The one who married the banker…the smart one." Alex grinned.

Bobby smiled. "Yea…"

"Well, their oldest kid is graduating high school this coming spring…And they know they don't have a lot of vacations together left…And all of the kids look like they're going to have busy summers…So they've decided to take a big vacation over Christmas."

"Where are they going?" Bobby asked. He wondered what a real family vacation was like.

"Disney World," Alex laughed. "My sister loves Disney stuff and she passed it on to her kids…even the graduating one…"

"But," Bobby puzzled. "What does this have to do…"

"They own…inherited from his family…this beach house on Long Island…I thought it might be a good place for your recuperation." She waited for his rejection of the idea. When it didn't come, Alex continued. "I could stay with you…There's plenty of room…We could completely avoid each other if you want…My sister and brother-in-law would appreciate having someone there…The person who checks on it for them would appreciate not having to come by…You'd be doing them a favor…"

"A favor, uh?" Bobby said skeptically. "The rest of your family…You'll want to be with them…"

Alex felt a small sense of triumph. Bobby was at least entertaining her idea. "That'd be only on Christmas Day…maybe Christmas Eve…" She tentatively touched Bobby's left arm, which still carried several nasty if fading bruises. "And you know you're always welcome to come to any of our celebrations…But if you don't want to or feel up to it…You can always stay at the beach…There'll be plenty of food…We can hook up a DVD player…You can bring plenty of books…Bobby…You'll be as happy as a clam."

There was an uneasy silence for several moments. "A clam," Bobby finally said. "Why a clam? They're not neurologically sophisticated enough to be happy…Maybe that's it…They can't feel…So they're happy…"

"I'm sorry I brought up clams," Alex said. "But if you want…I think there might be some clams in the ocean near the house."

Bobby laughed and winced. "Alex…Don't make me laugh…My body can't take it." He stared at his hands. "Well…I've been wanting to lounge on a beach…I just thought that the water might be a bit above freezing…"

Alex's sense of triumph grew. He was seriously considering her offer. "Well, there is a hot tub on the deck…If you didn't freeze getting in and out of it…"

Bobby grew somber. "You're sure…Your family…You…You don't mind…"

"Like I said," Alex said eagerly. "You'd be doing a favor…"

"Ok," Bobby said. "Ok."

END CHAPTER ELEVEN