Once back at one-pp Logan and Wheeler set Joe and Tony up in an interrogation room, so Bobby can observe them if he wanted to, after they told him about Joe and Skye, and then went straight to Ross' office.
"We have a problem Captain." Logan said slumping down into a chair.
"Not something I want to hear at the start of a case, Logan. What's the problem?"
"Wheeler..." Logan said nodding towards Ross. "You tell him. It's still freaking me out."
Wheeler took a deep breath. "The boy the victim was walking with...he's here with a family friend and we verified his identity with school records." She looked at Logan, who nodded, encouraging her to go on. "He's Goren's half-brother, Captain, and we're pretty sure he doesn't know about him."
Ross turned to Logan, who of the three of them, knew him best. "Logan?"
"It's true, Captain, he doesn't know. I know Goren, not as well as Eames, but I know enough. We've thrown more then a few drinks back together and talked about family...and the only brother he's ever mentioned was his older brother Frank. The kid we have here, Joe Goren, he knows nothing about. I'd bet everything I have on it."
"Okay so it's not the best news but it'something we can deal with. First, obviously the two of you will have to work the case, it's now a conflict of interest for Goren. Second, we need to tell him-"
"There's more, Captain." Wheeler told him.
"More?" Ross asked raising his eyebrows.
"Yes. Joe has a sister. We haven't looked into it yet, and she has a different last name, but Goren could potentially have a half-sister he doesn't know about as well."
"Terrific. It's just getting better and better. I think we need to talk to Eames. She knows him best and we need to hear what she thinks, so we can precede."
"My thoughts exactly, Captain. And she should probably be the one to tell him." Logan said matter-of-factly.
"Okay, here's what we'll do. Goren and Eames are in conference room A, doing paperwork...Wheeler go over the case with Goren, but leave the boy's school file here. Right now he's just Joe, got it? Tell Eames I need to see her on another matter. Logan you stay."
Wheeler started out the door, when Logan called out to her.
"Someone should probably check on Morales and the kid... see if they need anything. We may be awhile."
"I'll check on them after I'm done filling Goren in." Wheeler told him as she left.
"Well today is about to get really interesting." Logan told Ross.
Wheeler knocked on the door before stepping into conference room A.
"Hey." She said smiling at Goren and Eames.
"Hi, Megan." Eames said returning her smile
"Hey Wheeler." Goren motioned towards the file she had in her hand. "Is that our case?"
Wheeler nodded. "Not much to go on yet. We just processed the scene. Rodgers said it was pretty cut and dry, but will send along her report a little later. Uh, Alex, Captain Ross wants to see you in his office."
Eames shot Goren a look. "What did you do, Goren?"
Goren held up his hands innocently giving her a half smile. "Nothing I swear. Whatever it's about, Eames, it wasn't me."
"It better not be or you're buying lunch for a week." Eames tried to pretend she was annoyed, but couldn't help but smile back at him. "I'll be back."
As Eames left the room, Wheeler sat down next to Goren and opened the folder.
"I should have known, if it's not one trouble maker, it's the other one." Eames said shaking her head when she saw Logan. "What did you do now, and why do I have to fix it?"
"Trouble maker? Ouch, that hurts Eames."
"Would you rather pain in the ass?"
"I'd prefer adventurous." Logan winked at her, grinning.
"I'd prefer we get on with it." Ross interrupted. He knew they loved to poke and jab at each other, and could do it all day once they got started. They were like siblings. Eames is the sarcastic sister to Logan's smart ass brother. "Logan, fill Eames in on the situation."
"You may wanna sit down." Logan said patting the seat of the chair next to him. "You're not gonna believe this." After she sat down he continued. "The case we caught today...have you heard anything about it?"
"Not much, just that a man was shot and killed in the middle of a busy street."
Logan nodded. "The vic was walking with an 11 year old boy." He handed Eames Joe's folder. "This is the kid's school file. Notice anything?"
Eames stared at Joe's birth certificate for several moments before looking at Logan. "We're sure?"
"Have you seen a picture of Goren's father before? There's a picture of Joe's parents in the back. It's him. It's the same William Goren."
Eames pulled the picture out and cringed. She knew what Goren's father looked like and Logan was right, this was the same man. Joe Goren was Bobby's brother.
"So what do you think Eames?" Ross asked, as she continued to look at the picture. "Do we tell him now? Should we wait until after the case is solved?"
"I think Goren's father was a selfish bastard and this is going to hurt him." Eames frowned. "But I think we should tell him now. I don't want him to find out in the middle of everything from someone who doesnt know him."
Logan took the file from her and pulled out one of the papers. "There's something you missed." He pointed to it.
Eames looked at the paper, then at Logan. "This is crazy."
"Exactly." Logan agreed. "But we still have to confirm it."
"A brother and a sister he doesn't know about...telling him is going to be hard."
"'I know, thats why I think you should tell him."
"Coward."
"Look, I'll stay with you while you tell him...but yeah, I'm not gonna deny the coward remark, Eames, because he won't hit you. Me, he'll knock into next week."
"Should I be worried about his reaction, Detective?" Ross asked Eames.
"He's gonna be extremely upset Captain. Can you blame him? Wouldn't you be? But don't worry, it will be okay, I'll handle it."
"I'll hold you to it." Ross said as he stood up and walked around his desk, to sit on the corner of it and face Eames. "After you tell him...if he needs some time to wrap his head around things and get it together, he's got it. Whatever he needs, we're all here, make sure he knows that."
"I will. Captain, thank you.' Eames stood up to leave. "C'mon Logan."
"Oh...you really want me to be there?"
Eames glared at him.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming. What do you need me for anyway?" Logan asked joining her at the door.
"Goren may need to hit something." Eames smiled devilishly as she walked out of Ross' office.
Logan looked back at Ross, before following Eames out. "Just for the record...this sucks."
"So am I buying lunch?" Goren asked Eames as she and Logan walked in.
"No., you're not in trouble, this time." Eames smiled, when he grinned, that disarming, boyish grin that tugged at your heart and drew you to him. She hated that it was all about to change and that his life was about to be turned upside down. Between his rocky relationship with Ross, her kidnapping by Jo Gage and his mother's cancer diagnosis, he was having a hard time controlling his emotions and what she was about to tell him could make him lose that control entirely.
Eames took a deep breath. "We do need to talk though."
"I'm going to check on Mr. Morales and Joe." Wheeler told them as she got up to leave. "Let me know if you need anything."
Eames walked around the table and sat next to Goren, while Logan stood across from her, leaning against the wall.
Goren stopped grinning, the serious look on the faces of Eames and Logan made him uncomfortable. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Eames almost changed her mind, the worried look in his eyes was making her stomach churn, but there was no going back. "The boy from the case today...the one who was walking with the vic...Bobby, his name is Joe Goren...he's your brother."
Goren watched her for several minutes waiting for the punchline. Surely she wasnt serious. He looked over at Logan who nodded sadly.
"It's all in his school file." Logan said quietly.
Goren looked back at Eames. He could see the truth in her eyes. "So...so your telling me I have...I have another brother." Goren's voice shook as he tried to contain his anger.
Eames nodded and slid Joe's school file over to him. "Your father signed the birth certificate, Bobby, and there's a picture of him with Joe and the mother."
Goren opened the file and looked through it. Eames and Logan both knew the moment he read about the sister having full custody by the look on his face. His eyes grew dark and stormy. He looked up at Eames.
"A sister...I have...I have a sister."
"We haven't confirmed it, but yeah, buddy, it's possible." Logan told him. "There's a picture-" He started to say, but Goren already started looking through them.
Goren found what he was looking for and stared at the picture of Joe and Skye for several minutes. He put the picture down and covered it with his hand.
"She uh...she has his eyes. She has my father's eyes." Goren's voice was barely above a whisper and he couldn't look at them.
Eames shook her head. She was glad his father was dead, because she wanted so bad to kill him for hurting Goren like this.
"I'm sorry, Bobby." Eames didn't know what else to say.
Goren stood up suddenly pushing the table as he did, sending it sliding across the floor and into the wall, as his chair hit the floor behind him. It was so unexpected and happened so fast Eames and Logan jumped in surprise, looking at each other nervously, wondering what was going to happen next.
Goren started to pace, rubbing the back of his neck.
"He...he couldn't be bothered with the two kids he already had, why would he have two more? How could he not tell us?"
Goren started rambling, asking questions neither Eames or Logan could answer, even if they wanted to. Then he suddenly walked out.
"Well, that went well." Logan said sarcastically as he and Eames watched Goren walk into the men's room. "He's definitely gonna need a drink tonight."
"I'm giving him fifteen minutes, then I'm going in there..." Eames told Logan as they walked out of the conference room towards her desk.
Tbc...
