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.

A/N: Thank you for your reviews. I really appreciate them. :) So, we're almost done. One more chapter after this one. Enjoy!

Chapter 23

A phone call with Ross confirmed Bobby's suspicion: He ordered them to stay home and wait for the technicians who would set up the equipment for the telephone surveillance. Falacci and Bishop left to join the search while Mike stayed with them to keep them company.

"Seriously, Mike, that's not necessary," Bobby told him. "You're helping us more by participating in the search."

"It's no big deal, really," Mike insisted. "I like to stay with you. Do you mind the support?"

Tilting his head to the side Bobby raised an eyebrow at him. Support? it said.

"Be honest, Mike," Alex said, "and tell us the truth. Ross told you to stay behind and make sure that we stay here."

"That's what you're saying."

"No, that's what Ross is likely to do. We know our captain by now."

"Deakins would have done the same," Bobby threw in.

"Oh, now you're defending Ross?"

"Nope. Just saying that he's doing what he has to do."

Alex snorted without amusement.

"Marriage's taming you, Bobby?" Mike teased.

"No way," Bobby muttered under his breath.

For a moment they stood and sat in silence before Mike remarked wryly, "Make sure that they're not doing anything stupid were his actual words."

His attempt at loosening the tension failed. So Mike finally sat down, too, while Bobby remained standing at the window. For a while no one spoke. They did not feel like talking. Alex only left when she heard Ronny Lee cry. It was time to feed him. She just went up the stairs when the doorbell rang and the technicians arrived.

"Over there," Bobby showed them the telephone mainlines.

They went to work and in a matter of minutes they set up their whole equipment. One of them sat on the sofa, his case with computer and phone in front of him on the coffee table.

Bobby paced the living room and strolled into the kitchen now.

From where he sat in his armchair Mike watched his friend and colleague. He knew that Bobby's restlessness would get worse by the minute. Soon he would be so tense that he was going to explode. Mike sighed. So far he had no idea how to prevent that outburst.

"Should I make some coffee?" Bobby asked unexpectedly.

"Coffee would be great," the technicians said and Mike nodded appreciatively.

"Okay." Bobby vanished in the kitchen again and started brewing the coffee. "I'm going upstairs to Alex and Ronny," he then told his co-workers and went up the stairs.

"Hey," Alex greeted him as he snuck into the children's room.

"Hey."

Slowly he walked over to her, grabbed a blanket on the way, threw it on the ground beside her rocking chair and sat down on it.

Alex smirked tiredly. In her arms Ronny was sleeping peacefully.

"I couldn't put him back in the cradle," she told Bobby. "I just want to hold him. Imagine, Bobby… she could have taken him, too."

"He's home," Bobby said hoarsely. "That's all that counts."

"Yeah…"

Tears glistened in her eyes which surprised Bobby. She had not been prejudiced against taking Naomi in, but she had not been crazy about it either. Did her emotional reaction promise a developing connection to Naomi? Bobby pushed the thought aside. It did not matter. All that mattered was that the little girl came back unharmed.

"Come downstairs with me? I have an idea."

"Oh, really?" Hopefully she looked over at him. "Do you know where to find her?"

"No, but maybe we can lure her out of her hiding place. C'mon." He got up and gently took Ronny out of her arms. "Take the nursing pillow down with you. Ronny can sleep in the armchair."

"Okay."

So both detectives went back downstairs. Alex arranged the thick long pillow on the couch beside her and Bobby laid Ronny down in the middle. The little boy babbled happily, making all the cops smile warmly at him.

Then Bobby brought the coffee and mugs from the kitchen, serving first the technicians and then Mike before he helped himself to a big mug full of hot strong black brew. Alex declined in favor of a cup of tea which made Bobby smirk. He remembered that his caffeine addicted wife and partner had been drinking tea during and a while after her surrogate pregnancy, too. He never had asked her if she had medical reasons for the change of her favorite beverage or if she actually preferred tea during that time.

"Okay, Bobby," she pushed. "What's your idea?"

"Nicole's funeral… Naomi certainly wants to say goodbye to her. We could arrange a funeral and observe the grave during and after the ceremony."

"Hoping that Naomi comes to visit her girlfriend's grave," Mike mused.

"Might work," one of the technicians said. "I think it's worth a try."

"You don't think that she'll call, do you?" the other expert said.

"Actually, no," Bobby admitted. "This is not about ransom. She wants the child for herself."

Now it was out. Said aloud. It was not surreal anymore.

"Well, sounds like a plan," Mike said. "We should talk with Ross about it."

"That will be best," Alex agreed. "Maybe he can come over here, just in case that she does call."

"Yeah." Mike got up from his comfortable chair. "I'll call him. Tell him about your idea and ask if they have anything new."

In that case he would have called, Bobby thought.

Mike went out into the hall to make the call while the others stayed in the living room, gladly sipping at their coffees. It did not take long for Bobby to become restless again. Getting up he started to pace.

For a while the technicians just tried to ignore him, then one of them got up to sit in another armchair, turning his back on Bobby. "Getting seasick," he mumbled.

Alex could not quite bite back a smirk. This was one of the effects Bobby had on other people. Over the years she got used to his quirks but in the beginning his urge for pacing had upset her, too.

"Okay, the Captain is on his way," Mike said upon coming back in. "By the way, Bobby… great coffee."

"Thanks, Mike," Bobby growled. He was not in the mood for compliments.

Staring out of the window again Bobby let his gaze wander. His mind followed and soon turned around the next corner, flying away as one idea triggered the next. Suddenly the room seemed to shrink. It felt like a prison cell, the walls starting to close in on him.

He had to get out of here.

Turning he searched Alex's gaze. One look, a twitch in the corner of his eye, and he went to the kitchen. A moment later she followed him.

"Sandwiches?" she said upon entering, loud enough for the others to hear. "What?" she then asked him in a lower voice. "You have another idea, haven't you?"

He nodded.

"Okay, I'll help you," Alex agreed, speaking louder again. "Tuna? Turkey?"

"Some cheese would be fine, too," he said and added considerably more quietly, "I think I know where she could be."

"Where?"

"Where they kept you prisoner. At the amusement park."

"Oh, really?" Alex was sceptical. "Why should she go there?"

"Because she needs a place to hide. She probably thinks that we wouldn't search for her there."

"That's a very vague guess." Alex got out dishes, bread and other stuff to prepare the sandwiches. "And now? What do you want to do?"

"I want to go there and get Naomi back."

"Alone?" Alex panted and almost cut her finger instead of the tomato in her hand.

"We shouldn't go there with the whole circus. Remember how Naomi was screaming all the time? Imagine if she started that again because she doesn't know that woman. Her abductor will be on edge anyway. I don't want to make that worse than it already is."

"Bobby, I don't think that that's a good idea."

"Then come with me."

"Bobby! We can't just go on a scavenger hunt for her. Ross is on his way over here. You're injured. I'm not one hundred percent fit either."

"We can both hold a gun and by the way… remember that my strongest weapon is talk?"

"Yeah, I remember," she grumbled, putting a few sandwiches together.

"I can't just sit here and twiddle my thumbs, Alex!" he argued. "I have to do something! I'm going crazy in here!"

"Bobby."

"Will you help me?"

Taking a deep breath Alex finished the rest of the sandwiches. She was really not sure if she wanted to help him, but if she did not he might sneak out and go on his own and that would be even worse.

"We'll meet at the car," she murmured and put the sandwiches on the plates. "Go."

So Bobby snuck out into the hall where he checked on his gun again that he wore in his belt holster. Then he stalked from there out through the back door. With a heavy sigh Bobby sank into the passenger's seat. Was he doing the right thing? And should Alex really go with him? Maybe he should tell her to stay…

Then the door on the driver's side flew open.

"Bobby! What the fuck are you doing?"

Astonished Bobby looked up to see Mike who bent in through the open door. That was not good. That really was not good.

"Where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" Without invitation Mike sank into the driver's seat. Or better he tried to sink into it. With some difficulty he scrambled back out and shoved the seat back before he tried to get in again. Then he adjusted the rearview mirror. "You're out of your mind," Mike growled. "I'll have to protect you from yourself."

Before Bobby could start arguing with him Mike had put the key into the ignition and started the car.

"You owe me big time, pal," he grumbled as he went into reverse, looked over his shoulder and steered the car out on the street.

Stunned Bobby just could stare at his colleague as he drove the car away from their house.

"Just please promise me that we won't be fired at with tranquilizer darts again."

xXx

"We'll only check if someone's in there," Mike grumbled. "Any sign of Naomi and your daughter and we'll call the SWAT team. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it," Bobby confirmed. He had an odd feeling of déjà vu when the walked down the alley between the attractions. The season was over again and all the stands and rides were closed. At least they did not have to stalk through knee deep snow this time.

"Okay, that's the building." Mike tried the door handle. He frowned with surprise. "It's open."

"Then c'mon, let's go inside," Bobby pushed.

"No. We'll call Alex and get Ross and backup here!"

"Can't wait," Bobby said and pushed through the gap.

"Bobby!" Mike hissed, trying to grab his coat, but his friend already was out of reach. "Damnit!"

They were only a few steps in when they heard the high pitched cries of a baby.

"Naomi!" Bobby panted, rushing forward.

"Bobby! Wait!" Mike ran after him, cursing inwardly. He should have expected that Bobby could not wait for Special Weapons and Tactics in case that they should really find Naomi. Now he had to stop him somehow before it was too late.

The whining grew louder and Bobby could also hear a female voice murmuring something in an increasingly agonized voice.

"Stop crying!" the woman yelled at the little girl, making her scream all the more. "Oh, stop it! Stupid thing! Why won't you stop?!"

"Maybe her diaper needs to get changed," Bobby simply suggested.

"What the…?"

She was standing beside the bed, the baby lying on it in a nest of blankets. Twisting around the woman yanked a weapon out of her belt and aimed at Bobby.

"She's mine!" she screamed at him. "Nicole promised me that her child would be ours!"

"I am her father, Naomi," Bobby said as calmly as he could manage. "Why don't you put down the gun and we'll sit and talk about everything, okay?"

"No! You're just the donor! You have no right to take her away from me!"

"We can talk about God and the world, Naomi," Bobby told her. "Just put the gun aside and we'll talk."

She shook her head wildly. "No!" she screamed. "You'll take her away!"

"I won't take her away. You're her family, too. Just… let us sit and talk how we can arrange it. You can see her. Just call us and…"

"No! I'll take her with me! She's my daughter! Mine and Nicole's!"

"I know. Nicole promised you that you'll have a family, right?"

She nodded, tears glistening in her eyes.

"You never had a real family?"

This time she shook her head.

"You were always shoved around, from one children's home to another, from one foster family to the next. Right?"

Sniffling she nodded again. "Nicole was my family. She made me happy. Now the girl's all I've got left from her!"

"I got a letter from Nicole," Bobby said. "She wrote about you, Naomi… and about her child. Do you want to read it?"

"Y-yes," she murmured.

"Okay. I'll get the letter out of my jacket pocket, okay? Just one moment…"

Carefully he reached for the inner pocket of his jacket. Unfortunately she spotted the gun he carried in his belt holster. Without warning and before Bobby could say anything more she pulled the trigger.

"Bobby! Nooo!" Mike screamed, storming into the room, his gun raised. He saw her turn on him and yelled, "Police! NYPD! Put the gun down!"

When she made a step forward, her gun hand still raised, ready to release the trigger again, Mike had no other choice. His gun thundered before she could shoot again.

It was a reflex.

It was the end of Nicole's former girlfriend.

She fell backwards and hit the floor hard, the gun tossed out of her hand and skidding away.

"Bobby!" Mike yelled with a hint of panic in his voice. "Bobby! No! Bobby! How bad is it? Can you hear me? Bobby?"

Bobby groaned with pain. He lay on his back, his limbs splayed out like those of a starfish. Maybe he could move, but he did not want to.

"Yeah," he moaned. "Mike, don't yell."

"God, Bobby! Why do you always…"

"Naomi!" he groaned. "Where's Naomi! Is she okay?"

"I'll go check on her," Mike promised. "But first I'll have to stop…" he pressed his hand on the wound in Bobby's thigh, "this bleeding."

Taking his belt out of its loops and wrapping it around Bobby's leg Mike used it as a tourniquet. It was not ideal, but it had to be enough until they got help. He got his cell phone out, ready to call for a bus when someone stormed in through the door.

"Stupid bastard!" Ross cursed. "Goes and gets himself shot again! Falacci, call a bus!" he ordered her, but she already was talking on the phone.

"Captain, where are you coming…?" Mike's words died in his throat when he saw Alex come in behind their commanding officer.

"Eames told me about Goren's escapade when I arrived," Ross thundered. "Thank God she did! What the hell were you thinking? Can't you follow an order once, Goren? Can you?! Just once?"

"I can," Bobby mumbled. He did not feel so good, which was not really a big surprise.

In the meantime Alex found her way to the field bed where Naomi still lay in her nest of blankets. She was not crying anymore and stared up at Alex like a doe blinded by headlights.

"Hello, sweetie," she purred, reaching out for her to pick her up. "Everything's alright now, baby. The bad woman can't hurt you anymore."

"Alex," Bobby tried to call out for her but did not manage more than a strangled moan. "Alex."

"I'm here, Bobby," she said, rushing to his side. "I have Naomi. She is okay."

That triggered a weak smile from him, but pain clearly stood in his eyes.

"Damn! Where's the fucking bus?" Mike swore. "Hang in there, Bobby."

"Not going anywhere, Mike," Bobby groaned.

"Not for a while anyway," Ross remarked wryly. He still was angry with his detective, and rightly so.

"Sorry, Captain," Bobby rasped. "Had to go."

"Ever heard of cell phones?" he captain growled. "You should have called for backup when you discovered that she was here."

"I had backup," Bobby said, sounding almost innocent now, and glanced at Mike.

"Speaking of you, Logan," Ross turned to him. "Your gun."

"I know," Mike said and handed his gun over.

"What… what about the woman, Naomi?" Bobby wanted to know. "Alex?"

"She's dead," Falacci told them. "Logan shot her."

That was when the bus arrived and paramedics rushed in. They took care of Bobby, treated his wound with a strong bandage and put him on an IV. Then they lifted him onto a stretcher.

"I swear, Bobby," Alex said as she followed the medics who pushed the gurney out to the ambulance. "This is the last time you're going to a hospital or I will shoot you! You make me do that and I'll make sure that you won't need a bus ever again!"

"Oh, oh," Bobby groaned.

"I couldn't have expressed that better myself," Ross mumbled to himself as he followed them out with his gaze. He appreciated the detective's investigative skills, but he suspected that his antics would one day drive him to a stroke or heart attack.

Mike grinned to himself as he overheard the captain's rant. Yeah, you had to get used to Robert O. Goren and that was not an easy task to achieve. How had Alex put it? He was an acquired taste? Yeah, he sure was.

"He brings out the best in us, huh?" Falacci murmured to Mike, tilting her head slightly towards the captain. The small smirk playing around her lips clearly gave away that she overheard him, too.

"Bobby never wants to show off, but he often does," Mike chuckled. "It just happens because he's so brilliant."

"Yeah… He could rub off a bit on you, partner," she teased.

Mike frowned at her, crossing his arms over his chest and huffing indignantly.

"You're cute when you're pouting," Falacci smirked, changing his frown to a scowl. "I bet Carolyn can't help but tease you constantly just to make you look like that."

"Be careful, Falacci," Mike growled. "You don't wanna know what Carolyn will do to you if you don't stop teasing me."

"Oh, she allowed flirting," Falacci chuckled. "She knows that I'm happily married. So… no danger there."

"So, you're happily married, huh? And what about me?" Mike Logan asked challengingly. "I'm happily married, too."

His voice rose in volume as he spoke and suddenly he became conscious of the silence that had settled over the house.

Oh, shit!

"Yes, pals," he said. "Highlight the day in your calendar, Mike Logan admitted publicly that he is happily married to his beloved wife Carolyn Barek Logan. He's also very proud of his baby daughter Sierra. Now go back to work."

On his way out, trailing after Falacci, he heard a few colleagues laugh and others murmur good-natured comments. Mike rolled his eyes. So much for his reputation. Knowing how fast the department's rumor-mill worked it would have changed by morning.

tbc…