A/N: Thanks for reading. This story, especially the title, is a snub to NBC/USA for their treatment of two of my all time favorite characters. I'm especially upset that one of them may die in the season opener. That just kills me! Hope you enjoy the way I think things should have been.

Chapter 5

Alex awoke later than she meant to. It was 8:30 and she was hungry. She made her way to the bathroom and stopped to look at herself in the mirror. She smoothed the lines she saw in the mirror with her fingers and then turned sideways and sucked in her tummy as far as she could. "Aaaaaah" she growled. "When did I get so old?" It's not that she disliked what she saw. She was still an attractive woman. It was more the fact that, being this age usually came with... perks. Perks she was sure she deserved. She even found herself longing for them on occasion: children, a husband, a "regular" job with "normal" hours. She lifted her eyebrows with her thumbs and took in her features, first to the left and then to the right. Her hands fell to her side and she let out a big sigh. "Move on Alex," she said to herself in the mirror and headed out of the bathroom to the kitchen.

She turned into the kitchen and flipped on the light. "What the hell?"

There in the middle of her table was a small bouquet of Gerber daisies tied with a yellow ribbon and a note lying next to a small white paper sack. Alex leaned back out of the kitchen and scanned the den. Nothing there. The hall was clear both directions as well. She looked back to the table. She started scratching her thumbs with her ring fingers the way she always did when she was anxious. She studied the bouquet from the doorway for a minute before advancing to the table. She picked up the note, careful to lift the top fold with only the lightest touch of her thumb. She was a detective after all. Her eyes immediately went to the signature.

"Bobby"

Without taking her eyes from his name, she pulled out a chair and sat on her folded leg to read the note.

Alex,

You were right, in the garden. I have a lot of explaining to do. Please let me take you out tonight. I want to make things right. More than anything, I want us to be right. I'll pick you up at 6:00. If you aren't here, I'll understand.

Yours,

Bobby

Alex looked up from reading the note. Her heart was pounding. She reached for the daisies and took in their fresh fragrance. They smelled like spring, like new beginnings. Her body gave an uncontrolled shudder. She laid the bouquet back on the table, unconsciously refusing to let go of the note. She reached for the white paper sack. Inside she found two chess pastries, her absolute favorite. She smiled in spite of herself. "Bobby" she breathed. She stood with the note still in hand and went to start the coffee maker. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all.

9:30 AM. Bobby was in the SUV heading back to Lewis' garage. An old favorite, "With or Without You" was playing on the radio. His mind wondered to Alex. "Surely she's found them by now," he thought and he looked at his watch. He allowed a faint smile to cross his face. He had no idea how to explain his behavior to her tonight, that is, if she even showed up. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't. She had given him plenty of chances in the past. He just hoped he was wrong, that it wasn't too late. The thought of spending the rest of his days without her was just too much. Losing his mother, losing his brother again to drugs and gambling, losing his grip when Mark Ford Brady entered his life, those losses he could handle. After all, he had been conditioned to handle loss, regret, and disappointment, but with Alex it was different. That kind of loss, he simply could not take.

Bobby pulled into Lewis' shop and found his friend working underneath a new Chevy Camaro.

"Wheeeeeeeew", Bobby whistled as he made his way to the car.

Lewis slid out from under the car. "Nice, huh?"

"I'll say." Bobby raised an eyebrow as he ran his hand down the black racing stripe.

"Too bad it's crap underneath." Bobby helped Lewis up with an outstretched hand.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think they rushed crankin' 'em out." Lewis tossed Bobby a clean shop towel.

"Soooo, how did it go last night with Alex?"

"I didn't see Alex." Bobby circled the car to get a full view.

"You're such a wuss."

"No. I went by her house and all the lights were off. She was either gone or asleep so I went home." Bobby kept his eyes on the Camaro but continued to talk. "I left something for her on her kitchen table though early this morning."

"You broke into her house?" Lewis couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"No, I didn't break into her house. I have a key. Besides, it's not like I watched her sleeping or anything. I'm not a stalker. I just left some breakfast on her table and a note."

"You watched her sleeping didn't you" Lewis said flatly.

"No! I didn't… I thought about it, but I didn't"

Lewis chuckled. "So what did the note say?"

"I just asked her if I could take her out tonight. I'm picking her up at six… at her house… if she shows."

"She'll show"

"I wouldn't blame her if she didn't" Bobby was now studying his feet intently.

"Bobby, the first thing you have to do is lose the self-pity."

"What?" His head snapped up.

Lewis had his nose in a box of tools. "You heard me. Quit looking at your feet. Stand still. And tell her you're an idiot. Tell her the real reason you acted like such a jerk. And then tell her, no, show her, how you feel."

Bobby leaned against the Camaro and brought one arm to rest around his waist. He brought his other hand to his mouth and started to chew on his knuckles.

"And quit chewing on your knuckles. It's just weird."

Bobby dropped his hand to his side and furrowed his brow.

Lewis found the wrench he was looking for, "You here to get the Mustang?"

"Yeah, I don't want to take her out in the same thing we ride around in at work."

Bobby and Lewis had rebuilt a 1965 Mustang a couple of years ago. As kids, it had been their dream car. Some dreams you just don't let go of. Alex had helped more than a few times with the rebuild. She had accompanied Bobby to the garage on Saturdays and had ended up as greasy as the two of them. It had taken only one Saturday for Lewis to realize that any notion he had of asking Detective Alex out was best left unsaid. It was obvious, at least to everyone but the two of them, that Bobby and Alex were made for each other.

"I'm surprised you haven't taken her out in it already. I seem to remember Alex making that very suggestion a couple of years ago". Alex was at the shop the Saturday they finished the rebuild. When Lewis turned the engine over, Alex had let out a giddy little scream. Bobby had pumped his fist and let out a quiet but emphatic "Yes!!" Alex had turned and hugged him in the joy of the moment. Bobby had been too stunned to even respond. By the time he had gathered himself back together, Alex was in the backseat and Lewis was yelling at him to get in. They took a drive up the coast and spent one of the best days Bobby could recall. That night, when Bobby dropped Alex off at home, she had turned to him and said, "Thanks Bobby. I haven't had that much fun in a long time. You'll have to take me out in the Mustang again sometime, just the two of us." Bobby had to laugh when he thought back to how he had answered her. "You don't like Lewis?" Alex had snorted and shook her head. "Goodnight Bobby."

"Earth to Bobby……….Hello Detective Goren!"

Bobby blinked and looked at Lewis blankly for a second or two.

"Where'd you go man?"

"Nowhere"

"Right"

"Thanks man."

"Yep"

Bobby continued his slow journey around the Camaro. "Crap inside?" he thought with a great deal of disappointment.

"Hey, you'll need these."

Bobby turned around and Lewis tossed him the keys.

"She's out back. Be gentle my friend… with the Mustang."

"Yeah, yeah" Bobby said as he threw his hands up in the air and walked out the back door of the garage.

Lewis watched Bobby pull around front and onto the street. "Good luck man." He turned and headed back to the Camaro.

TBC

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I like character interaction and back story. I really hope you're seeing what I see when I write it. The next chapter is all Alex and Bobby. So much angst!!!