Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I don't own anything. This is written for pure enjoyment only and no profit to be gained!

CHAPTER: 10

With Alex's help, Bobby eased his way out of the bathroom and towards his bed. Slowly, he sat down on the edge of the bed with a grunt.

"What do you want to change into, Bobby? Pajamas or something else?" She asked. "Or would jeans be fine?"

"No. I…I mean I don't wear pajamas. I don't even own any. I usually just fall asleep in my work clothes…if I can even sleep." He simply stated.

He had said it as if it had been just another random fact about his life. Bobby had no raw emotion in his voice, but it hurt Alex. Imagining him coming home from work just to sit on the couch and hopefully pass out was depressing to her. She felt remorse for him.

No wonder he always stayed late at work…sometimes even asking me if I'd stay and help him with a case. She now felt bad every time she told him to forget about the case for the night and go home and get some sleep. She knew he had troubles sleeping, but she didn't know that it was this bad. Worry about it in the morning, Bobby. Yeah right! Way to send a lonely man back to his equally lonely and dark apartment. How could I have not known?!

"Ok..." She sighed. "Jeans?"

"Y—Yeah, that'll be…um fine." His voice faded. "I can get them. I…I'm fine now." He slowly stood up.

"Bobby, are you sure?" She cautiously looked over him.

Bobby shifted nervously. "Yeah…um…" He began but stopped. He looked up at her with those innocent, lost eyes of his.

"I'll wait out in the other room, but if you need me let me know, ok?" He nodded.

She started to leave when she quickly whipped back around to face him once more. "And, Bobby?"

"Yeah?" He was still looking at her.

"Don't do anything stupid."

"I…I won't. I promise."

And somehow that little promise reassured her, though she knew it shouldn't. Bobby wouldn't lie to me…not about this. He better not! She mused as she closed the door behind her slightly; she didn't dare latch it though.

Bobby stood in place for a moment and looked down at himself. He was fucking tired and his mind wasn't working as well as he wished it to be. He slowly took off his sweatpants, nearly falling backwards a few times in the process. He sluggishly walked back into the bathroom to retrieve another rag to wipe himself down with.

Good thinking, Eames. Better get all of this shit off of me before we go to the…god. I don't want to go. I don't want to go back. But he knew he had to. Whatever Eames told him to do…he would do. It was a matter of trust.

Once he got back into his bedroom, after cleaning himself up, he quickly put on a clean pair of boxers and slipped into a pair of faded, blue jeans. Walking over to his dresser he grabbed one of his black t-shirts and slipped it on. He felt like a slob whenever he wore jeans and a plain old t-shirt, but truth be told, he still looked damn fine; more than fine…especially the way the shirt fit him. It was hugging his broad chest in all the right places and even though he still looked like hell, he was one hell of a hunk to stare at. His forearms were screaming out to touch them.

Bobby was exhausted by the time he finished cleaning himself up and getting dressed. He staggered back over to the end of his bed and sat on the edge of it. Once he sat down he couldn't help but lean back and rest.

In the meantime, Alex was getting anxious. It had been almost 10 minutes since she'd left his room and it was beginning to drive her mad. The sounds in his room seized and it concerned her. She felt like he was her responsibility and it was mentally draining; it was putting a lot of pressure on her and one slip up could fuck every thing up.

She couldn't stand it anymore and pushed her way into his room.

"Bobby?" And then she saw him. Sound asleep, his upper body resting on the bed and his feet planting firmly on the ground.

Well, at least he's dressed.

She walked over to him and grabbed his forearm lightly. "Bobby?" Still nothing. "Come on, Bobby. You need to wake up. I promise it won't be too long."

He finally started to stir and blinked a few times. "Eames?"

"Yeah, it's me. Come on, the sooner we go to the hospital and get you stitched back up, the sooner we can get you back home, ok?"

He groaned. "I'm so tired, Eames."

"I know." She said and softly lifted his shirt up to check his bandage one last time. There was hardly any blood soaking through, so there was no need to change it again.

"Bobby?" He opened his eyes, fully awake now. "When was the last time you drank anything?" She questioned, noting how weak he seemed to be.

"I…" And then he stopped.

"Ate anything?"

"In the...in the hospital." Bobby unconsciously shivered at the last word.

"Bobby, you have to drink liquids and eat or you'll become sicker and lose your energy."

"What about you?"

She was caught off guard by his question.

"What about me?"

"When was the last time you drank or ate anything?"

"I'm not worried about—" She was cut off.

"Well I am!" He raised his voice and struggled to sit up.

"You need to take care of yourself first, Eames." He shifted his gaze down towards his feet. "Don't worry about me."

Please don't leave me.

She was taken aback by his statement. At first she was surprised by his line of questioning, but then she got it. This was, Bobby. Nothing more, nothing less.

Always looking out for others before himself. Damn him.

"Ok, how about we look out for each other? Sound good?" She asked and Bobby nodded.

"I…I'll always look out for you, Eames. No matter what." She nodded and placed her hand on his forearm. "When we get back, we can have some of that spaghetti you made." He paused. "Eames, I really am sorry I didn't…I shouldn't have…"

"Bobby…it's ok. Stop apologizing." She bent down and placed both of her hands on his knees. "You were tired. I don't blame you." She looked back towards the door. "Though I'm not sure if it will be any good now…"

"I put it in the…the refrigerator earlier. I…it should be fine." He stated and she looked surprised. "So…I guess we should get going?" He groaned.

"Yeah..." She stood up. "Do you need a hand?"

"Um…no, I think I'm good for now…though I might need your help halfway to the car." He admitted and felt ashamed because of it.

Bobby was the sort of man that did things on his own. He'd been taking care of himself, and others, since he was a young boy. He wasn't use to anyone caring for him or about him for that matter. He felt weak when he turned for help; it was just the way he was.

"I'm always here."

I know, Eames. It's pathetic that I'm just now realizing that. Forgive me.

Bobby was right. By the time they had gotten off the elevator of his apartment, he was already worn out. He didn't think he would make it to the car, but Alex was right by his side the entire way, egging him to keep on going. And he did.

She's my guiding light…what would I do without her?

The car ride to the hospital was mainly silent. Bobby was dozing on and off, but that wasn't what kept him from speaking. He just wasn't sure what to say. Alex, on the other hand had a lot to say, but this still wasn't the time nor the place to play 21 questions. More like a 100 questions. She was worried about him and just wanted to get him feeling better first.

Alex decided to go to the same hospital that Bobby was admitted to only a day or so ago; Bobby was able to get right in with some persuasion. It took a great story on Alex's part, but she was able to convince the doctor, Bobby's doctor that he had when he was previously in here, that the stitches had 'come out' after Bobby had an extremely violent nightmare; tossing and turning roughly. The doctor eyed her suspiciously at first, but he trusted Alex's judgment and didn't question her explanation. He knew that she would take care of him and wouldn't put his life in danger; she had proven that to him already when Bobby was in the hospital. The doctor had figured all along that Bobby would have some sort of troubled nightmares due to what he guessed early being the marks of some sort of restraints; so he didn't question her.

"Make sure that he keeps his wound clean and doesn't move around a lot anymore. He hasn't been getting a lot of rest, has he?" Alex shook her head. If you only knew. "Something tells me that he's not one to just sit back and relax." Alex had to smile at the doctor's statement. "I'm going to give him some stronger pain medication and something to help him sleep. Make sure he takes these this time. There is no option here." He sternly told her. "He needs to rest. His body is still healing. No baths for a week like I told him before. I'd also like you to check his temperature every hour or so for the next 24 hours to make sure that he isn't running a fever. If it goes above 102 then he needs to come back in immediately. It's one of the signs of an infection." The doctor exclaimed. "These stitches are different than the previous ones. They should dissolve in about a week. Once they're gone he will be able to take regular baths again.

"Thank you…and doctor? I really appreciate all you've done to help us."

"It's not a problem. It's my job." He nodded. "Please let me know if you have anymore concerns." He stated and the walked off after shaking Alex's hand.

Alex turned and walked into Bobby's room just as he was putting his shirt back on. He looked even more tired than when she had first brought him in. From the way he was looking, she'd guessed that he'd already gotten a new dose of pain medication.

"See, I told you it wouldn't be too long."

"You cheated." He stated without even looking up. "You flashed your badge at the entrance and we got right in."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, sometimes this thing comes in handy. I don't try to use my badge to get special privileges, but I think this occasion called for it." She looked at him. He didn't put up a fight. "And I see you approve." He shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, Bobby, let's get the hell out of here. I hate hospitals."

"You and me both." He mumbled, though she hadn't heard him.

Once again, they made their way down to the first floor to pick up Bobby's new prescriptions and then made their way back to Alex's car. Just like before, Alex guided a staggering Bobby back to the car. She had one arm slung through his and he was beginning to get use to the contact; so was she. It felt reassuring in a strange way that neither him nor her were familiar with.

Maybe…maybe it won't be so bad now. Alex will be with me. Won't she? God, I hope so. I need to tell her, let her know how much I appreciate her.

"What…what medication did you have to um…have to pick up for me now?" He asked nervously.

"The doctor gave you some stronger pain medication and something to help you sleep. He said the more rest, the better…so try not to move around a lot until you heal, ok?"

Bobby just groaned in response as they continued to make their way to Alex's vehicle.

On the way back to his apartment, Alex decided to stop by a corner store and grab some groceries.

"Bobby, would you like to come in or wait out in the car?"

He pondered it for a moment and then spoke up. "Do you even trust me to stay in the car by myself? I…I wouldn't blame you if you…"

"I …" Alex shifted nervously. "Bobby, I know I shouldn't…I just…I don't know, Bobby." She sighed. "God help me if anything happened to you while I was in there, but I don't think you'd make it a minute walking around the store." Bobby said nothing, so she continued. "Promise me you won't leave this car…or do anything stupid."

"I…" He choked on his words. She doesn't trust me, does she? "I…I promise."

"Bobby, you better not lie to me." Her voice grew louder.

"E—Alex, I promise." He swallowed hard. "I…I'm sorry. I…I don't want you to have to…to worry about me. It's the last…the last thing I want. I'm just too tired to even get out of my seat."

"I…its ok. I understand." She sighed. "Bobby, no matter what, I'll always worry about you." She got out of the vehicle and then turned to him. "Would you like anything in particular? Your refrigerator is prêt near empty."

"Um…just the basic necessities will be fine for me." He paused and the looked into her eyes. "Eames, I…thank you." He said and lifted his butt off the seat. By the time she realized what he was doing, he'd already pulled his wallet out of his back pocket.

"Bobby, easy." She said as she watched him cringe and groaned in pain. "Its fine, Bobby. I've got it. Besides, I'm going to be eating the food as well." She smirked and he didn't put up a fight. He just sank deeper into the seat and tossed his wallet onto the dashboard.

She watched his eyes shut and she hesitantly stood there. Bobby knew she hadn't left yet, so without even opening his eyes, he spoke once more. "I'll be fine. I promise."

You better not lie to me, Robert Goren.

Alex let out a long breath and shut the door and walked into the store.

Once, Bobby was sure Alex was in the store, he opened the window and flung his arm out of it. The cool breeze felt good on his skin. It was around 3:00AM now and he found himself to be staring up at the sky as much as he could muster. He was looking for answers up there, but he felt himself becoming anxious, and at the same time, relaxed. It was a weird feeling and he wasn't sure exactly what it was. A little over a week ago, he wanted to kill himself. Hell, yesterday he still did not wish to live, but he wasn't sure now. He started to shake at the realization that he might not be here, sitting here on earth right now if it wasn't for Alex. It was like a bad wakeup call. He recalled wondering if he should thank her or hate her for saving him. He also recalled saying that he could never 'hate' Alexandra Eames and that still held true.

Should I thank her? And he started to cry; tears slowly rolling down his face. He knew he should. And I will. He was thankful. He was still alive, though at the same time he didn't want to be. He was saved though, saved from himself. He would be alive forever more…as long as she was within eyesight. He would be with Alex for as long as she wanted to be by his side. It was up to her because Bobby knew that he wouldn't walk away from her. He looked back up into the sky and smiled, though the tears did not cease.

"I love you mom. I'll be with you soon enough." He whispered and wiped the tears from his face.

Before, Bobby was so far down that he didn't believe anyone was out there. When he screamed, nobody heard his cries. Some of his cries were out of desperation and despair but some were cries of help; he was let down almost every time. So many times he wanted to start over but there was no point. It was useless. When he sat on the floor, in his apartment, holding his gun, he felt as if there was no one within reach of him. The final string had finally broken; the one that was securely holding him down. It felt frighteningly cold. What was the point of living if there was no one there with you? Bobby just accepted that no one could reach him, that no one would be with him, and yet, there was one person that did. He remembered thinking of her, but he also knew, at the time, that she could not help him either. He didn't want her to. He was being tormented; haunted by so many different demons that it was killing him. Bobby knew that for someone to help him, they'd have to understand him…understand what it was that he needed help with and there was no way he would expose his fears, his worries and all the other fucked up misery with anyone else. He didn't want to burden them. He felt his armor becoming reinforced at the thought.

Bobby brought his head back down and glared down the street. He wiped at his eyes again, but they still bled so many different emotions.

Bobby was happy to be alive, though confused at the recollection. He only regretted one thing though; how it affected Alex. It affected her more than he would have ever thought possible. He knew he didn't regret the entire action and that scared him. One thing he knew for sure was that he didn't regret was, letting Alex get into his apartment to save him.

He continued to look out the window, resting his head on his arm while looking out into the dark sky. He couldn't help but think about his mother. He wanted to see her again. He missed her so desperately even though caring for her put his life through hell.

20 minutes later, Alex walked back to her car. Like he had promised, Bobby stayed in the car and she felt her heart beat slow down at the mental note that he was still ok. She placed the groceries in the back seat and then hopped in. Bobby's face was facing away from her, so she couldn't see the look he had on his face. It was downcast.

"Bobby?" She spoke up and then noticed that the window was rolled down; Bobby's head was back against the headrest.

"Y—Yeah?" He whispered and Alex had to strain her ears to hear him.

"Are you ok?" She asked and resisted the urge to touch him.

"Yes."

She didn't push him.

Alex frowned as she started the car and took off in the direction of his apartment. She couldn't help but glance every now and then towards Bobby's direction. He, well, they both had been through so much, but the events were happening to him; she was just getting the aftermath of it all. She knew she should have him committed, she knew he should be watched by professionals for his own safely because if she'd lost him, she'd loose herself; but she couldn't. She couldn't do that to him so she took it upon herself to care for him; she doesn't regret it either.

He still hadn't turned his face towards her and this worried her.

This poor man…he's been through so much. Self-torturing and all. God, I fear for him. Please, please let him be ok.

"Bobby?"

He turned his face this time towards her and Alex took notice right away that he had been crying. It brought tears to her eyes now and she swallowed and mentally pleaded for her voice to be steady when she spoke.

"I'm with you, Bobby." And she reached over and held his hand.

Nothing more was said on the ride back to his apartment. There was no need.

A/N: So, please let me know what you think.

-Snyder-