Roots and Seeds

a Law and Order: CI story

by RoadrunnerGER

Disclaimer: Dick Wolf still has not agreed to sell them, so they're not mine. This is just for fun and practice.

Chapter 5

"Hello, Bobby."

Alex beamed at him from where she was propped up in the bed. Turning her head to the side she smiled at their little boy in his crib. He was sleeping soundly.

"Hey, Alex."

Bobby went to the bed and sat down in the chair beside it. He was not looking forward to what he wanted to talk about with his wife. It would be a hard conversation.

"Isn't he an angel?"

"Yep," Bobby agreed. Then he grinned roguishly. "Just like his mother."

"Well," Alex said, "with a cherub as his father and an angel as his mother we should always be on guard."

"That's what you're saying."

"Yeah, because an angel plus a cherub doesn't equal a saint."

Bobby chuckled. That was what he loved about Alex, her witty mind. One of many things he loved.

"And? Finished with Ronny's room?" Alex said teasingly, winking at her husband.

"Almost. Something came up. Something important."

"More important than your son?" Alex frowned. "What could that be?"

Maybe the straight way is the best way, Bobby thought. She'd notice anyway when I tried to stall.

"My daughter."

Alex scowled. She was pretty sure that he did not mix up the genders, so he could only mean Nicole's child. He wanted to go and see her, and now he wanted more than that.

"Okay, Robert Goren. Spit it out!"

There was no way to deny her request.

"I received a letter from Nicole. She let me know that Naomi is my daughter and asked me to take care of her."

"And you want to do it?" Alex blurted out. "Didn't you forget something?"

"I was about to ask you what you think about it."

"Oh, c'mon, Bobby. Stop kidding." Alex straightened up in her pillows. Her voice rose until she reminded herself of their sleeping son. "We both know that it's completely irrelevant what I'm thinking! You already formed your view on that matter. Family always was important for you. I know that, Bobby. I know that there's no way that you would abandon your own flesh and blood!"

That she stopped to draw in a steadying breath was no reason for Bobby to think that she was finished. He knew she was not. They were only married for five months now, but after six years as partners in Major Case he knew her moods and quirks. He knew that she was not done.

"If she is your flesh and blood."

There we go, Bobby thought. Now it'll get interesting.

"You don't think that I would just believe Nicole without having Rodgers do a paternity test, do you?" he said. "You're insulting me."

"You'll be more than insulted if you won't be reasonable, Bobby." Alex still frowned. "You shouldn't simply take for granted what Miss devil incarnate is telling you."

"I just told you that I will ask Dr. Rodgers to do a paternity test."

"But…?"

"But what?"

"But what do you want to do?" Alex pushed. "Don't even try to placate me. It won't work. You're all excited because all you see is a little girl who might have half of her genes from you, and that makes you forget who gave the other half."

Bobby eyed her intently.

"What are you trying to tell me?" he said. "C'mon, Alex. Don't beat about the bush."

"Okay, I'll tell you. I don't want you to bring that child home with us."

Bobby was thunderstruck. He had expected a certain resistance but not the harsh words she was throwing at his head now. It hurt him to think that Alex could be that cold hearted. He just opened his mouth to object when her hand came up to stop him.

"Wait!" she ordered. "Don't say anything before you hear me out, okay? As I already said, I know that family is important to you. You made up your mind and I don't want that child. We need to find a solution for that problem."

"Alex…"

Helplessly he wrung his hands. So Alex had reached what she wanted, she had his attention.

"Tell me what you wanted to do, Bobby," Alex said urgently. "Because I have a feeling that you did not even think about asking me."

"I did," he tried to assure her. "Alex, I'm sorry if I couldn't make myself understood."

"You're still living alone in your head too much, Bobby," Alex told him. "Let me in."

Confused he scowled and tilted his head to the side. Bobby had thought that they were so much closer now, and she accused him of shutting her out?

"I know that you are so successful solving your riddles because you're deducing so much. You don't get from A over B to C. You know A, deduces C, and then you'll prove getting there by finding B. A is the letter, C is Nicole's baby living with us. You skipped B and B is convincing me. You got me?"

Now he looked thoroughly befuddled.

"I said that I was just about to ask you, Alex. What else do you want?"

"You don't already see her sleeping in a cradle beside Ronny? You don't see her going to the same kindergarten? You don't see yourself walking her down the aisle?"

He blushed.

"I know that you're not doing it consciously. I know that you don't want to hurt me. But I also know that you are as good as always ahead of yourself. Not this time. This time we'll do it at my pace. Okay?"

"Okay."

He waited for her to continue. In fear of saying something wrong he wanted her to talk for them both.

"Tell me what you want to do," Alex prompted him. "But start at the beginning and not at the end of the tale."

"Alex, I'm sorry. I haven't done anything yet. I just have a copy of that letter and the idea to take the girl, Naomi, under our wings."

"How's Nicole doing?"

"She's in an artificial coma. It's too early to tell if she will wake up again." He took a deep breath and fished the letter out of his pocket. "Here, Alex. Please read it."

Reluctantly Alex took the folded paper and opened it. For another moment she hesitated before she started to read. Her left eyebrow jerked up and knitted up to a frown as she kept on reading. She scowled deeply as she read the last lines.

"That doesn't sound like Nicole," she said.

"I know. And it makes me just as suspicious as you."

"Do you really believe that Naomi is your daughter?"

"I have no reason to believe that Nicole lied this time. Sure, it's possible, but why should she?"

"To convince you to take in her bastard."

Too late did Alex notice what she had just said. Bobby's jaws clenched and she saw the tiny twitches in the corners of his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she rushed to say. "I shouldn't have called her a bastard. That was wrong." She swallowed and glanced over at the crib. Fortunately Ronny was still fast asleep. "It just makes me so angry that she manipulated you into this."

"It makes me angry, too, Alex," Bobby agreed. "But we can't hold the baby responsible for what Nicole has done." Thoughtfully he bit his bottom lip. "If Nicole survives she'll have to stand trial and will most likely be convicted and given a life sentence. So Naomi would be without her mother. If Nicole doesn't survive she'll have no one either. Be that as it may you'll have an orphaned child, unless her father claims custody." He paused, waiting for her reaction. "And if I really am her father? In that case I wouldn't only be responsible… I also would have the right to care for her."

Kneading her hands Alex listened to him. She knew all that. She just wanted to be included in the decision.

"At which point did you want to talk with me?" she asked. "That's what you still haven't disclosed. Did you already go and claim custody? Will I find two cradles in Ronny's room when I get home tomorrow?"

"What? No!"

Stunned Bobby stared at her. It was all he could do. This time she thought further ahead than he did.

"I just went to see her," he explained. "I didn't ask anything about custody. I didn't tell anybody about possibly being her father. I couldn't." He shook his head in frustration. "I hadn't talked with you yet." It was so confusing. "I don't understand how you could think for a single moment that I wouldn't discuss that matter with you."

Suddenly Alex blushed as she realized that she did him an injustice.

"Blame the hormones," she choked. "Oh, Bobby. I'm sorry. It was just like after Neal's delivery. It made me testy. You should've told me, interrupted me."

"It's okay, Alex. Never mind."

"So…" she said, contrite. "What did you want to tell me?"

And so Bobby explained to her exactly what he planned to do, including M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers doing a paternity test.

"I just want to ask you for one thing," Alex finally said. "You'll wait until we're settled at home. Then you'll get the test done first. And then, if she confirms that you're Naomi Wallace's father, then we'll talk about her place in our family."

It was a hard ultimatum, but he was determined to do whatever she demanded of him. It was the only way. What Bobby had not told Alex was that there was this feeling deep inside of him. He had sensed it when he held Naomi in his arms. It was so painfully similar to what he felt when he held Ronny.

Naomi was his. It did not matter who had given birth to her. And he did not intend to lose her to Nicole or the system. Even though it was a long and hard way Alex asked him to go, what he would gain was worth the wait.

"I'll come and pick the both of you up tomorrow morning then," Bobby said as he was about to leave, then he bent down to Ronny and breathed a kiss on his forehead. He was not that careful when he kissed Alex goodbye. Her cheeks were flushed when he finally released her. "Take care. I love you."

"I love you, too, Bobby."

tbc…