Bobby sat at his desk, tapping absently on the stack of papers in front of him with his pen, his mind drifting toward darker and darker thoughts. "Those papers aren't going to sign themselves, you know," came a voice from behind him.

He twisted at the waist and looked at his partner. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"My wife chased me out of the room to come down here to help you with the paperwork. She said it's not fair to leave it all to you. She and Sam will just be sleeping."

"What was the final verdict on the baby's weight?"

"Six pounds, four ounces. Not too bad for being a month early."

"He beat Molly by a pound."

"Molly was also two weeks earlier than Sam."

"No complications?"

Mike lowered himself into the chair behind his desk as he answered, "None to speak of. He's a little jaundiced but they say that's normal and they're monitoring him. They're giving him a little oxygen, too, but they say it's temporary. They're gonna keep him for a couple of days to watch him, and then I can take him home."

Bobby nodded. "Good. I'm glad everything's going well with Sam." He divided the stack of papers in half and handed one stack across the desk to Mike. "How is Denise doing?"

"Good, so far. She seems to be regaining her strength and the doctors are happy. Having Sam took a lot out of her, but giving birth is hard work, I hear."

"So they say. Will she get to go home anytime soon?"

"We have to see how the chemo goes. If she continues to improve and she responds to the chemo, she could come home in a week to ten days. If she doesn't improve the way they expect, it'll be longer. So far, though, they're talking like she will be coming home. That's a complete one-eighty from what they were saying before Sam was born."

Bobby wasn't sure how to feel about Mike's information. It was good news, but he was cautious about good news, about doctors in general. He decided to be cautious about reacting at all to what they said and chose to wait to see what happened, trying hard not to get his hopes up. He would not be prepared for the devastation of losing her if they were wrong, which was always a possibility. So he simply nodded and turned his attention to the papers in front of him.

Mike watched him for a couple of minutes, but he wasn't surprised by Bobby's lack of a reaction. Bobby struggled mightily with hope and faith. Mike didn't say anything more, turning his attention to the paperwork they had been putting off for much too long. Ross had cut them both a good deal of slack, but that wasn't going to last forever. While Mike thought it prudent to toe the line, he knew Bobby too well. His partner was going to try to stomp all over the line, scuffing it into oblivion, to test the new captain until the man finally lashed back at him. Mike was determined to do his best to keep that from happening, but it was going to be difficult. He wasn't sure why Bobby was drifting toward self-destruction again, but he made up his mind that it was time to talk to Alex. Maybe together they could put the brakes on before Bobby went too far.

After finishing their paperwork, they stopped by the hospital to visit Denise and Sam. Denise loved watching the two men pass the small baby back and forth to each other. She'd seen those big, tough cops take down suspects and then intimidate them in interrogation. Now, watching them be so gentle with such a tiny person warmed her heart. She had always loved watching them interact with children. Her mind drifted back several years, to a weekend trip she and Bobby took to Washington with Maggie. It was one of her favorite memories. That weekend gave her a taste of family life, and she began to long for it. That was also the first time she had questioned Maggie's paternity.

When the nurses brought Denise her afternoon cocktail of pills, the same ones that prevented her from breastfeeding her son, Bobby began to get restless. He was deeply disturbed by any reminder that she was ill. Denise knew what was coming. The medicine made her nauseous and sleepy. Sometime she began vomiting and they had to give her more medicine through her IV. The men had fed Sam and the baby now slept; they would take him back to the nursery now. She knew it was time for Mike and Bobby to get going. She would soon feel too ill for company, and she didn't want Mike to spend another night in an uncomfortable chair. So she convinced them both to leave without making either feel guilty for going.

As they left the hospital, they got a call from the captain. A new case came their way.

Alex felt guilty. Just after leaving her sister's, she received a phone call from Dr. Bergman, Bobby's cardiologist. The doctor wanted to discuss a treatment proposition that Bobby seemed reluctant to consider. So she discussed it with him and he gave her much to think about. What she could not predict was her husband's reaction. The last time she spoke to Bergman it led to an argument, and she hated fighting with him.

She stopped on the way home to see an old friend who could give her what she needed for Bobby. All she had to do was figure out when and how to present it to him. She had a feeling he was going to get pissed, but if it helped him the way the doctor thought it would...well, he could just get mad.

She made a second stop at the grocery store. While she was checking out, she got a text from Bobby. Got a call out. Might be late getting home. Love you.

Be careful, she texted back. Love you, too.

She decided to go ahead with her dinner plans. It wasn't even two yet. There was a good chance he would be home before nine. She'd start dinner a little later and see what happened. The extra time would also give her a chance to try to figure out what she was going to say to him when she brought up the topic of his health.

She took her groceries to the car and headed for home.

Alex checked the contents of each pot and pan on the stove, then double-checked the recipe. Simmer, simmer, and simmer... Everything had to sit and simmer for awhile before it was done. As she stepped away from the stove, her phone sounded the receipt of a text message. She grabbed it off the counter and looked at the screen. It was from Mike. Difficult afternoon. I'm bringing him home now. Be there in thirty or so.

She frowned. Is he okay?

Define okay.

Fine. Is he sober?

Not really, but he's walking. And I don't think he'll puke in my car.

They must have caught a tough case. Good thing I cooked extra for dinner. See you soon.

She went upstairs to change while dinner finished simmering. She slipped into a blue knee-length dress that exposed her strong back and hugged her hips in an enticing way. She pulled on a pair of over the calf boots with a three inch heel and gathered her hair on top of her head to expose her neck. Checking herself in the full length mirror in the bathroom, she smiled. Adding just a little makeup as the finishing touch, she returned to the kitchen to finish dinner.

The sun had set when the car pulled into the driveway. She heard the car door slam twice. The front door opened and Bobby stopped by the stairs, scowling. Mike ran into him. "Hey, what's the problem?"

Bobby only noticed one thing: the house was too quiet. "Alex?" he called cautiously.

"In the dining room," she replied.

"Why is it so quiet?"

"The kids are at Reggie's."

"Why?"

He was always suspicious when she took the kids to her sister's unexpectedly. When Alex stepped into the living room, his uncertainty evaporated. Mike whistled softly. "Nice," he complimented. "You sure you want me to hang around?"

Alex hesitated as she tried to gauge Bobby's condition. Mike pulled his keys back out of his pocket. "Maybe I'll go over to Reggie's and have 'roni cheez' or 'ghetti for dinner with the kids," he said.

"I'll save you the leftovers," Alex promised.

"Sounds like a plan. You two...have fun."

Bobby moved toward her until he was within arms' reach, then he stopped, but he didn't touch her. "What...Why...I mean..."

"Don't question it. I just want to spend time with you. Just the two of us."

He glanced at the table. "You cooked."

"Yes, and the recipe was not as easy as it said it was, so I hope it tastes like it's supposed to."

Finally, he reached out, settling his hands on her waist. She rested her hands on his arms and drew in a deep breath. She smelled scotch and cigarettes. She had second thoughts about what she wanted to discuss with him, finally deciding to simply play it by ear. She caressed his arms.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the room with his other senses. She wore his favorite perfume, the one she kept hidden and refused to tell him what it was. All he knew was that her sister had gotten it in Europe and given it to her for Christmas a few years ago. It was light and kind of musky and it drove him crazy. The only thing he heard was the racing of his blood through his ears. He was also fully aware of the tightness across the front of his jeans, demanding attention. Every sense contributed its part to send his desire skyrocketing. Opening his eyes, he looked her over again, and food became the last thing on his mind.

But she took his hand and led him to the table. She saw the searing heat in his eyes and she didn't miss the physical evidence of his desire. "Dinner first," she said softly.

Her voice caressed his ears and he groaned quietly. "You're killing me," he whispered.

"You can make it through dinner."

He wasn't so sure, but he'd give it a try. It was the biggest challenge he'd faced in a long time.

Alex had a challenge of her own, and that was getting her husband to finish his meal. She was as eager as he was to play around, but it was more important to her that he eat his dinner. She didn't know the last time he'd eaten a full meal, and she was determined that he would finish this one. The stress of the past year, the chronic pain of his injured knee, his damaged heart and the side effects of the medication he was now taking...all of it was taking a toll on him. He'd lost more weight than was healthy for him to lose, and she was going to do her best to return him to a healthy weight. If that meant that they both had to suffer, then so be it.

Although he wasn't very hungry, Bobby knew that she meant it when she told him to finish eating before she would let him do anything else. She was going to withhold herself until he complied, which annoyed him. It was difficult for him to eat when he wasn't hungry, but she wasn't giving him a choice. So he tried to ignore the discomfort in his belly and worked to clean his plate for her.

Despite all the time she'd had to think about how to approach Bobby about her conversation with the doctor, she was still at a loss. She tried to start the conversation several times during dinner, but he wasn't much in the mood for conversation. Few words would be able to penetrate the fog of desire in his head in any meaningful way, so she was going to have to wait. First, she had to deal with the situation she'd created and then she would be able to address his treatment option.

She finished eating first, but he wasn't too far behind her. She reached under the table and lightly stroked his knee. He dropped his fork and closed his eyes for a moment. "Not fair," he murmured.

"This is love, Bobby. Everything's fair," she answered with a smile.

She rose from the table and took her plate to the kitchen. He watched the sway of her hips as she walked. Her dress hugged her in just the right places. He remembered the last time she wore it. They were supposed to go out with Reggie and Aaron. They never made it out of the house and had to reschedule.

She returned from the kitchen with a glass of bourbon and coke. "You gonna be long?" she asked, teasing.

He picked up his fork and forced himself to take another bite. She took a drink and walked toward the couch. His head was swimming although he'd sobered considerably since he and Mike left the bar. He bolted down his last couple of bites as soon as Alex was out of sight, chased the food with a couple of swallows of water and went after her.

Alex set her glass on the coffee table as she sat on the couch. Stretching out her legs, she leaned back and waited for Bobby. She didn't expect to wait long and he didn't disappoint her.

She laughed when he dropped onto the couch beside her and slid his hand along her thigh. He nuzzled her neck below her ear and growled, "You're not funny."

"Did you finish eating?"

"Yes. Will you stop torturing me now?"

He pulled back and she looked into his heated gaze. She answered him with a deep kiss and the torture ended for them both.

When she came out of the bathroom, he was dozing lightly on the couch. She sat by his waist and rubbed his chest. He opened his eyes and looked at her, a small smile curling at the corners of his mouth. She smiled back at him. "Feel up to that walk?" she asked.

"A walk in the moonlight..." He took her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm. "Sure."

He was much more relaxed, content and at ease. They dressed and left the house, walking down the street, hand-in-hand. It was a nice, quiet neighborhood, which was one reason they had chosen it.

Alex rested her head against his arm. "Bobby, I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

She took a deep breath and dove right in, like yanking a band-aid off a wound. "Dr. Bergman called me today."

He tensed and frowned. "He called you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he's concerned about you."

"Doesn't he have another patient he can bother?"

"Bobby...don't. He's worried, and so am I."

"You wouldn't be worried if you didn't talk to him."

"I'm your wife. He's a cardiologist, not a therapist. You gave him permission to talk to me when you put me on your paperwork and you know it."

His scowl deepened. "That was a mistake," he grumbled.

"If it makes you feel any better, he was hesitant the first time I talked to him, even though he wasn't doing anything wrong."

"It doesn't," he muttered.

"You don't understand how important it is for me to know what's going on with you."

She was right. He would have preferred for her to remain in the dark about his health. He would have preferred for her not to worry so much. It was one way he had left to protect her, and she'd taken that away from him. He felt a surge of anger, but he fought it down.

She slipped her hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small box, handing it to him. "What's this?" he asked.

"That is what Dr. Bergman discussed with me. He said it's a good treatment option for you. It will help mitigate the side effects of the medications he currently has you on. He also said you were reluctant to consider it."

"So you considered it for me?"

"I think I know why you rejected it. Bobby, if it's going to help, then you shouldn't dismiss it. Dr. Bergman has already put you in the program that makes it legal for you."

"Dammit, Alex...I'm a cop..."

"But you won't be a cop much longer if you don't get your health under control. How much longer do you think it will be before Ross notices that you're not healthy?"

"I'm fine!"

"You can fool him right now, but not for much longer. And once he thinks you're not healthy enough for the job...that's it."

Bobby felt his anger slipping. "Are you going to talk to him, too?"

"What? Of course not! Why would I do that?"

He shook his head and gave in to his anger. "You've been doing a lot of talking behind my back lately," he snapped.

Angrily, he pulled away from her and walked off. Surprised by his rage, she watched him go. When he disappeared around the corner on the next block, she shook her head. He needed time to cool off. She'd expected anger, but he'd gone a step beyond that and she knew not to push him too hard when he was like that. It was best to leave him alone. He'd come back to her contritely before too long. She turned and walked home.