A/N I've never felt the need to do the whole disclaimer thing, but the farther I go with this story, the more I think I should. I am taking a lot of conversations and actions directly from the series, and then having fun filling in what I think might have gone on behind the scenes. Thank you to all the LOCI writers, creators, actors, etc for doing such a fantastic job. Thank you for not suing me because I want to play with your characters. I promise I'm not making any money off of this.

Chapter 26

"Oh, boy… This preacher… he's just another big phony." Frances Goren said, as she and Bobby watched the news in her hospital room. She was in for another round of chemo.

She tapped Bobby's arm with a wooden stick she held in her hand and pointed at the screen. Bobby turned to her. "You know, he wants a Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage." She used the stick to scratch her scalp just under the edge of the wig. Frances chuckled. "I'd sure like to see what goes on in that bedroom." Bobby turned back to the tv and his mother asked, "Why are you defending him?"

"I'm not defending him," Bobby said with a shrug.

"They're charlatans, these people," she continued, gesturing with the stick again. "He's supposed to be a believer, in which case he's supposed to believe that God had a reason for her death, right?"

Bobby tucked his chin down, listening to her logic. He couldn't disagree.

"So why is he crying?" She asked, and then tossed the stick on her bedside table.

Bobby's wheels were spinning. No, he couldn't disagree with her. He gave her a smile before turning his attention back to the screen once more. He felt her fingers tighten on his sleeve as Dr. Sylveste entered the room.

"What is he doing here?!"

"Dr. Sylveste," Bobby greeted him as he stepped out of the way. His mother fought to get her wrist away from the Doctor's grip.

"I see the patient's her usual shy self," the Doctor commented, as he wrestled to manipulate her wrist.

"No!" She cried out, and pulled her hand free.

Bobby's face was full of pain. He looked at the floor and tried to remind himself that his mother was a difficult patient… that these treatments were necessary. He scratched his head and took a step toward the door before his mother called him back.

"Bobby?"

"Yes?"

"I want to go back to my room."

"I know, Mom."

"You know, everybody tiptoes around me? You know why? Because on my chart, it says…" She pointed with her finger at the foot of the bed. "It says that I'm a schizophrenic. So, in that case, why don't they just send me back to my room in the nuthouse?" She raised her eyes to her son's. "Not a hospital. Not a hospice."

"You're almost there, Mrs. Goren," Dr. Sylveste said, as Bobby searched her eyes sadly. "She's handling the chemo very well," the Doctor told Bobby.

"Oh, I really am," she said yanking at the wig with her fingers. "Look at this!" Her face grew angry and she pointed a finger for emphasis as she spoke. "Now, listen! I am done with all of this! You tell them that!" She commanded her son.

Bobby felt like he had a rock in his gut. He nodded, and kept his voice calm. "Okay. I'll do that."

"Good."

"I'll tell them. I'll do that, okay?" He said, taking his mother's hand. She grasped his with both of hers, seemingly relieved that she'd been heard. "We're gonna go outside for a minute, okay?" Bobby told her. He started for the door.

"If your brother were here, I wouldn't have gone through all this."

"Ma, I'm just gonna be out here," Bobby called, trying to reassure her. The Doctor stepped out ahead of him.

"He would have taken care of me," she continued.

Once in the hallway, the Doctor turned to Bobby. "She really is doing quite well with her treatment," he repeated.

"Dr. Sylveste, I have to say, I felt you were a bit rough with her in there."

"Excuse me?"

"When you came in…" Bobby shook his head. This wasn't a time or place to make enemies. "Look… I know my mother, she can be… difficult. And I know, maybe you're… you're in a hurry, got lots of other patients to see… but when you came in, you didn't even talk to her before you took her hand. She's… she's skittish, you know. It helps to… give her some warning ahead of time."

"I'm sorry if it appeared that way to you, Mr. Goren. I can assure you, I am taking very good care of your mother."

"I know you are. I know. I'd just… I'd feel better if I knew you were… sensitive to her… you know, emotionally."

"I understand," the Doctor said with a smile.

Bobby arrived to work the next morning to find out their case was indeed a homicide. Eames had already been there an hour, and she was all over it. She updated the Captain and her partner on everything she'd discovered. They had evidence of the murder and a possible suspect already.

He was a call guy. Alex pulled up the website and Bobby had to smile. There was a photo of him in nothing but a thong and an overcoat. Bold letters declared, "Rent this hunk!"

The Captain read it aloud, and Bobby had to smile again. "We can all read, Captain," he said.

Alex asked questions, pulling the two men back from their latest pissing contest.

They brought the man in and found out the preacher was his client. He was trying to blackmail them get the man to back off on all his comments about homosexuality being the work of Satan. He told them the preacher liked Crystal Meth. He'd left a DVD on the victim's chair.

Diego also told them that Cal, the preacher not only hated himself, but Diego thought he was going to be killed one time.

Bobby said, "Well, we're gonna need a copy of this DVD."

Diego's lawyer spoke up. "You don't have it."

Alex smiled slightly. "We appreciate your telling us about it."

The lawyer put her hand over her client's mouth. "Detectives, we may be able to produce a copy, but that's subject to negotiation. My client's invoking."

After a quick talk with the Captain, they were on their way to visit Cal. Bobby was a font of biblical humor. "Your cup runneth over," he told the man as he spilled his drink.

They showed him a picture of Diego and he denied knowing him. But both detectives saw the fear in the Reverend's eyes. The preacher dug himself deep with the lies, and Alex filled him in bit by bit on the parts they already knew. Then Bobby dropped the bomb. "We have other photos." The preacher said he was a professional massage therapist. Alex had to turn away. She was disgusted by liars, especially supposed holy men who lied.

She called him on his lies. She told him they had records of cell phone calls from the preacher to the Rentboy.

He lied again. He said he had horrible back pain and he would close his eyes.

"And wait for that booty bump," Bobby finished for the man.

"There's a lady in the room, Detective," Cal said.

"I'll wait outside," Alex announced as she got to her feet. Bobby simply sat with his ankle resting on his knee and his binder perched, ready to collect some notes.

Alex got some good info, but Bobby was cut off by one of the church elders, who came in to whisk the Reverend away to a meeting.

They were almost to the car when Bobby saw him. He had to stop and stare a moment. The last time he'd seen his brother, he'd been healthier, more filled out. Bobby stared, and Alex noticed. Without a word to her, he stepped forward.

Frank was in the line for the shelter. He didn't budge because he didn't want to lose his place. "Hey, Bobby," he said, a spark in his eye.

Bobby glanced over at Alex, only for a second. He shook his head, astounded. It took Bobby a few seconds to find his voice. He walked forward, closer to his brother. "What are you doing here?"

Frank took the risk and stepped out of the queue. "Church people, they're good people, man."

"Yeah, I know."

"They got me clean," Frank announced. He was bundled in two light jackets, with a ragged beanie on his head. He was cold. He continued. "…feed me. I would've been dead a long time ago if it weren't for them. I mean it."

A silence fell upon them. Frank's eyes strayed to Alex, and he greeted her. "How you doin'?" he asked.

Alex nodded, not sure what was happening in front of her.

"So how's Mom?" Frank asked, and realization struck Eames.

Bobby glanced around and bit his lip. He closed his eyes, wondering how he should break it to his brother.