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

CHAPTER: 25

Bobby walked back into his apartment; Alex trailing on his heals to make sure he didn't collapse behind her. Truth was she was still cautious for Bobby. Not so much his mental state, though it was still in the back of her mind, but more about his health. She knew he was getting better, but she still worried. She couldn't help it. This was Bobby for Christ sakes. She felt territorial over him and felt that he was her responsibility. He had no one else. It had been like that for quite sometime, but now, after all of this, it was like the final blow.

They had both overcome all the struggles for the most part though, and for that, she was grateful. They finally, after so many years, had admitted their feelings for each other and that in itself was substantial. Alex couldn't help but feel that they had accomplished something huge in itself right there. She could sense, almost feel his walls slowly start to crumble…brick by brick.

Once Bobby was fully inside his apartment, he took off his coat and hung it back on the coat rack, but not before tossing his cigarettes and lighter on the counter. Turning around, Bobby caught Alex just in time to see her taking off his coat and hanging it up next to his other one on the wooden coat rack. It caught him off guard.

How did I not notice her wearing my coat before? He blinked and stared in disbelief. I must be out of it.

"Eames, did you just take my coat off?" The words easily slipped off his tongue to verbalize his thoughts. Bobby was grinning now, but there was confusion in his tone.

"Well, yeah. I was worried about you…and it was right…It was hanging up and I wasn't really going to take the time to...it was the first one I grabbed…" She tried to explain, though not very well. He grasped at what she was trying to say though and nodded.

"It's ok, Eames." Bobby continued to smirk. "I'm just surprised it didn't fall off of you." He chuckled. "We're not exactly the same size."

"Very funny, Goren!" Though she couldn't help but smile back at him.

Bobby looked so relaxed…more relaxed than she'd seen him in a long time. His pearly white teeth were shinning in the dim light of his apartment which only illuminated the graying hairs on his head and on his growing stubble even more.

She unconsciously licked her lips. Oh how I've dreamt of running my tongue along the front of his perfect teeth.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice before, Detective." She said, her voice a bit hesitant as her thoughts were somewhere else.

Bobby began to rub the back of his neck nervously. "I…I've just been a little…off lately." He sadly put it.

"I know, Bobby." She understood and put a hand on his shoulder.

Bobby looked up towards her and was about to say something but stopped. He noticed her watching him. He caught her glimpsing at him, taking him in longer than she usually did unless something was on her mind.

Bobby titled his head to the left to examine her in return.

It's amazing, just amazing what's changed in so little time.

"What?" He finally asked.

"Nothing…just…nothing." She blushed and then turned and headed towards the kitchen.

Bobby knew it was something, but decided to let it go for now. He started to head for the couch, reaching for the TV remote in the process, when he jumped a mile high at the sound of Alex's panicked voice screeching from across the room.

"Oh my god, Bobby!" He quickly turned towards her with a questioning, though alarmed look on his face. "How long has it been since you've taken your medicine?! Or since I've taken your temperature?!" She started to panic.

He let out a deep breath. That's what she's freaking out about? Typical Eames. He laughed inside.

"Relax, Eames." He took a deep breath, slowing down his heart rate in the process. "I took my medicine when I woke up…well, almost all of it. I…I don't like the Xanax or the Ambien and pain medication. Besides, it's what, like 8:00 in the morning now? I've been asleep…resting a lot lately…too long. I feel…I'm not warm, so there's no need to take my temperature. Besides, it's...I think it's been 24 hours." He reassured her. "I think I'm ok now."

"Are you…" And then she stopped short of the word 'sure.' He can take care of himself, Alex. You've got to trust him. "Ok, Bobby. I believe you."

He tilted his head to the right side this time to examine her once more.

"Gee, thanks, Eames." He rolled his eyes and averted them back to the TV remote he was holding. He gently sat down on the couch, careful of his still tender body, when he felt her staring at him. Alex could stare daggers into someone if she wanted to. Bobby sighed, not even attempting to turn on the TV and looked back at her. She was looking at him curiously, so he patted the spot next to him lightly on the couch. "Relax, Eames."

And she did. Alex relaxed for a few measly seconds and then frowned once more. Shuffling her feet towards him, she softly sat down and looked at him.

"How long have you been up, Bobby?"

"Hmm?" He asked. Clearly, he was caught up in his own thoughts.

"How long did you sleep for…I mean…when did you wake up?"

"Oh, um…I've been up for a little bit." He revealed and then started to fidget. Alex knew there was more by Bobby's actions. She knew this man all too well when it came to his fidgeting.

"Bobby?" She questioned further.

"Since about 3:00AM." He whispered and then, "I just…I've had…I have some troubles sleeping sometimes…with…I have nightmares…" He bluntly told her.

"Sometimes?" She pushed.

"Every night usually." He whispered so quietly that Alex had to lean in to hear him.

"Oh, Bobby, why didn't you wake me? Why haven't you told me before?"

Bobby immediately shook his head.

"No. You needed your sleep. It's fine, really. I'm used to them." He paused and turned to look at her. "I just…I assumed that you…that you knew I had them. I shouldn't have been so presumptuous. I…I'm sorry." He murmured and looked away.

"You shouldn't have to deal with them alone." She explained and then, "I knew, Bobby. At least, I figured that you did…but I didn't know for sure because you never told me, which I'm not surprised by. And I could only guess what they were about, but, Bobby, that doesn't mean, by any means, that you need to apologize. If anyone was being presumptuous, it was me."

"Its ok, Eames, really." He ignored her apology. "They're not as…not as bad as before…before you stayed with me." He licked his lips. "Before you…you came, I'd wake up with…in a cold sweat…coating my entire body and… in tears." He choked out. "But…I think they're getting better now. I hope they are…but it just depends on the night. It's just…I'm still having problems coping with…with Tates and a few other things. I'm dealing with it though…I promise."

"Would you like to talk to me about them?"

"I…" And then he stopped to glance back up into Alex Eames' eyes once more. "This one, the one last night…was different. Not my usual Tates nightmare." He paused and then whispered, "It was…it was mainly…it was about you."

"Me?" Alex didn't try to hide her surprise.

"Last time…last time I saw Frank, after I got out of Tates, I went to see him and he…" Bobby bit his lip, deciding whether or not to tell Alex what Frank had actually said.

Just take Eames to a motel and get it out of your system. Bobby started to shake. Frank seemed to be right…at some point…but not in that way. Bobby cared for Alex and would never take her to a motel room for a one-nighter and then just leave her.

"Bobby?" Alex softly said and scooted closer to him. Putting a hand on his knee, she softly rubbed back and forth, encouraging him to open up to her. She was literally on the edge of her seat.

"Last time I…I saw my brother, Frank, he…I…" He sighed. "You remember…when I told you that I…I'd wait for the splash…if he…he jumped from a bridge?" She mutely nodded, recalling hers and Bobby's conversation from before. "A few…a little bit before that, when we were arguing, he…he told me I should just take my partner…Eames, you…to a…" And he paused as his body let out a quick, uncontrollable jolt. It was a quick quiver of sadness which only made Alex wrap an arm around his shoulders.

"What, Bobby?"

Bobby closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at Alex when he told her this, for she might get the wrong idea…the wrong idea about him, but he had to get this out.

"He told me I should…I should just take you to a motel and…and get it out of my system." He whispered and bowed his head down.

"Oh, Bobby." She wrapped the other arm around him just then. "And what? You thought I'd judge you based on what your brother says or said about us?"

"But that's just it, Alex, there is…or was no us…back…back then." Bobby whispered the last part. He still wasn't sure if there was actually a 'them' yet or not, and it made him embarrassed to bring it up, but he knew that that conversation was for later. "And yet, somehow he knew…" Bobby continued. "Somehow he knew that I wanted you…that, that you meant that much to me to where he knew it would hurt me if he said that about you. Frank knew that it would set me off. I've wanted you for so long but…" He stopped there. She knew the whole story. "And if he could tell…then who's to say that others can't? That…isn't…that's not a good thing, Eames. Not for you, your career, reputation…" He sympathized. "And…and when he, Frank said that, it made me so angry because he said it about you, that I went towards him and…I was shouting. I was angry, so angry, Eames. He, my brother was actually scared of me. There was so much fear in that room that you could smell it through the walls. And then…after he said that Donny was just using me to get money, I…I threw him on the couch. I was so…so upset, angry, so furious at…with him for how he referred to you. I…I'm sorry. I just can't get it out of my head and I…I just feel guilty now…I just…"

"Easy, Bobby. It's ok. That's your brother, not you. I know…" And then she paused. Slowly she unwrapped her arms from Bobby and tenderly reached to grasp his face in both her tiny hands. She turned him so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "I know, Bobby, that you would never do that. Not just to me, but to anyone." Bobby nodded. "Bobby, you're kinder, sweeter than you give yourself credit for."

He swallowed hard. "Especially to you, Eames…I would never. I just…I'm sorry. I keep…I can't stop thinking about it…I feel guilty about it and I don't know why. I know I shouldn't but I just…It's just…"

"Its just who you are, Bobby." She finished for him while releasing her hands from his face.

He nodded mutely, missing the contact.

"Something like…like that, yeah."

"As for somebody recognizing that we care for each other, well, Bobby I think it's too late there. People have to be blind not to see it…as far as a close partnership and friendship go I mean." She paused and then added, "And please don't bring up this career and reputation 'thing' again. You know, you have to know by now that those don't mean anything to me. You're my partner, nobody else." She smiled and could tell that he was somewhat relieved as well.

Bobby chewed on his lower lip briefly, looking down at his lap, until he slowly raised it back up to look at her.

"So…we are…we're ok then?" He hesitantly asked.

"More than ok, Bobby." She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips.

A/N:

Just a Story Note: I realized ahead of time that Bobby wouldn't have his gun...since the Chief of D's took it. I "pretended" that he still had it though...obviously. The thing I didn't catch was that Bobby didn't have his cell phone. He left it with Eames. Duh! And he asked Frank when he was at his apartment if he could use his. Anyways, in the beginning, chapter 1, I had Bobby drop his cell phone next to him, Eames calling him, etc. So, my bad on that! Damn! And I tried to cover all the bases with this too. Poopy!

-Snyder-