Chapter Two

It had been a good day, a very good day. It started with breakfast with Bobby, who was as cheerful and happy as she'd ever seen him. He looked great. He'd lost weight in recent months and was working out regularly. He regaled her with stories about the latest car Lewis and he were working on, which led to stories about their escapades as kids. The breakfast was so much fun that Alex hated to leave in spite of the promise of seeing Nate and the rest of her family. She asked Bobby if he wanted to come with her and was pleased when he seriously considered it.

"I'm sorry," he finally said. "But I promised Hannah I'd take Wilson's shift. And...And I have a session with Dr. Gyson this afternoon. But I'll take a raincheck."

Alex didn't press him. For Bobby to even consider visiting her family was a huge step for him. He'd just accepted that her sister and brother-in-law not only let him see her nephew, but that they liked him to see the boy and the trips Bobby accompanied Nate and his Aunt Alex to museums, parks, zoos, and anything else.

"I think," Alex said carefully as she speared one of the chocolate chip pancakes Bobby had agreed to share with her. "That those sessions have helped you. I mean, you've not said much about them, and they're your business, but I think they've helped you."

Bobby stared into his coffee for several long moments. "It's your business," he finally said. "And I'm glad you thing they've helped me. I think that too. I...I feel like I'm thinking better. That I have a better handle on things. That I'm doing a better job, and I'm a better partner...and...friend to you."

His honesty stunned her. "Well, it's made you more open," Alex said admiringly. "I'm beginning to wish that Dr. Gyson was my therapist." Alex feared she might have said too much. They rarely spoke of, even in the most indirect way, about Jo Declan's kidnapping of her.

"She puts up with me," Bobby said. He gripped his coffee cup with both hands. "She's suggested...That maybe the two of us might want to share a session or two. Not that she thinks you have any problems," he added hastily. "But it might help me. And she'd like to meet anyone who could put up with me." He smiled, but Alex sensed the plea behind his words.

"I could see that," Alex said slowly. "I'll think about it."

Bobby looked up at her. "You...You will? I mean...You hate psychiatrists and psychologists..."

"Yea," Alex acknowledged. "But I'll make an exception for you."

And Bobby looked so ridiculously happy and grateful that Alex felt a little giddy herself.

"You don't have to tell her anything really...She just wants to meet you... If it's not too much of an intrusion."

"Bobby." Ales placed her hand over his. "It's ok. I understand. I'm ok with this. She's been good for you, like I said. Since we've both got back to Major Case, it's been like the best times of our partnership. Some of these times have been the best parts of our partnership."

"Good...Good...I've felt that way too." He stared at the table and took a deep breath. "I've heard," he said cautiously. "That it was rough for you...After...After..."

Alex gripped her coffee cup tightly. "Well, the Brass wasn't happy with me. Truth is, I seriously thought about resigning."

"Alex...Just because of me..."

"It wasn't just you," Alex insisted. "It was a lot of things. But in the end..." She stared into the coffee. "I didn't need the money. I've got some savings, and there's Joe's pension. And it wasn't that I couldn't find another job. When Deakins heard about what happened, he immediately offered me a job. Said he'd hire you too." She smiled at Bobby. "But I'm stubborn, and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of driving me away. And my union rep said I got a raw deal, and we could fight better if I was still on the force. And, like I always told you, I bleed blue."

"What did they do?"

"Tried to bore me to death. Sent me to a suburb. Only danger was that I'd get an infected paper cut. But there were people pulling for me. Including Massa."

Bobby straightened. "He's a captain now, right?"

Alex nodded. "In charge of the Mayor's protective detail. I think Mass was really in charge of a lot more than just Major Case after Ross was murdered."

Bobby looked over Alex's shoulder as if the answer to their questions stood there. "Massa gave me every chance to get out of trouble. And he game me a good recommendation to the FBI. And he congratulated me when I ran into him after I came back to the department."

"There was a weird vibe between Massa and Moran. Like Massa was in charge."

"Well, Moran was gone soon after that," Bobby said. "I don't know how much about it, but there seems to be some cause and effect."

"My sources tell me that there were deals." Alex shrugged. "I don't pay much attention. But I gather my refusal to play ball upset some of those deals. But it's not going to upset me."

Bobby frowned.

"Don't feel bad, Bobby. This wasn't your fault. And at least I didn't wind up back in Vice. I was nearly bored to death, but at least I wasn't walking the streets again. And now I'm back at Major Case. With you."

Bobby smiled shyly.

She made another effort to get him to join her at her family's gathering, but he gently rebuffed her. He promised to make another one. She spent the day playing with her nieces and nephews, especially Nate. She spoke happily with her sisters and sisters-in-law and even managed a more than civil conversation with her father. She'd departed the picnic before any arguments started or any of her buttons could be pushed, or she could push anyone else's. She drove home through blessedly light traffic, and immediately took a long, leisurely soak in the tub. As she rested in the warm weather, Bobby came to her thoughts. He'd just be heading to his session with Dr. Gyson about now. Alex briefly wondered what this psychiatrist was like. She had to be tough and smart if she could deal with Bobby Goren. The fact she was obviously helping Bobby told Alex this Gyson must be a good psychiatrist.

"He's better," Alex thought. "A lot better. I think he was getting better by himself, but she's helping him. He's like the Bobby I knew when we met. And that makes my life better."

Her cell phone's chirping interrupted her thoughts. Alex started. It was Bobby's ring. She frowned as she scrambled out of the tub. She and Bobby weren't officially on call, as if that ever mattered. He always treated her time with her family as sacred and wouldn't call her unless it was absolutely necessary. Dripping on the bathroom floor, she picked up her cell phone.

"This better be good, Goren," she muttered as she answered the phone.

"Detective Eames?" Alex didn't recognize the female voice.

"Yes...Who is this? Why are you on Detective Goren's phone?"

"This is Doctor Paula Gyson. Detective Goren...He's been hurt...Badly hurt."

END CHAPTER TWO