A/N: We'll gradually steer from the case toward Alex and Bobby's journey. The case isn't over, but it'll become background as the story starts to transition. There is a little fluff in this chapter. Trust me, it'll pick up.
x x x
Suddenly, the hallway erupts with activity. The EMTs rush the gurney inside and assist to Alex.
He stands close enough to be with her, without getting in their way. The CSU team files in next, along with Olivia and a few uniformed officers.
Olivia walks up beside him. "How is she?"
"Feverish, weak. She lost consciousness just before they came in," Bobby relays.
"Before she blacked out, did she say anything about the perp?"
"She…umm… I didn't ask." His concerned gaze remains on Alex.
They place an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, and move her onto the gurney.
"She's going to be okay," Olivia offers with a sympathetic smile. She touches his arm, then walks past him to join the officers as they begin opening doors and checking rooms.
He follows the gurney outside, intending to stay with Alex. "Mind if I ride?" he asks the EMT. "This is my partner." The last part slips out too easily.
"No room. Sorry," the female EMT answers as they begin to strap Alex in.
"Where are you taking her?"
"Mercy General." After another glance at Bobby the EMT adds, "Don't worry, we'll take good care of her."
He steps aside, not wanting to hold them up.
He rode with Benson, so he doesn't have a car. He'll have to find a ride with someone.
Eames will have more to offer about this case than anything they find here. But it's unlikely that they'll let her have visitors for a while.
He'll have a look at the crime scene and give Benson a hand, then head to the hospital.
He goes back inside, passing some of the officers who are putting up barricades near the entrance.
x
Just a few paces in, he sees that the perp took most of the evidence with him or else he destroyed it.
Where is he? Who could have tipped him off? Bobby wonders as he checks the rooms.
It doesn't take them long to find the room where she was kept. The bed is examined for DNA and the rope restraints and blanket that were on the bed are bagged as evidence.
Throughout the building, they find cut wires and broken pieces of a sturdy plastic.
"This perp is some sort of electronics guru. It might be motion sensing equipment or audio devices," Bobby suggests to Olivia.
It may not be enough to impress the DA's office, but it's clear to him that Alex and the other victims were watched around the clock from multiple locations.
More evidence is found by CSU, including a box of women's clothing and a container filled with dirt and what appear to be bone fragments. ME Warner is called in to examine it.
He pokes around the crime scene for about an hour, then catches a ride to the hospital with one of the officers.
Just before Bobby leaves, Olivia is joined by her partner Elliot and their captain. They tell Bobby they'll be there as soon as they wrap things up.
x
When Bobby arrives at the hospital, he's told that Alex is stable and they've admitted her for emergency surgery on her knee. The knee cap sustained a pretty bad fracture. Any further delay and she'd lose the use of it. The knee x-ray also shows a small tear in the cartilage which could have happened anytime in the last two weeks.
Aside from the knee injury, there are a few deep cuts requiring stitches. She has bruising on arms, legs and torso. She's also being treated for an infection and severe dehydration.
They're waiting on the results of a tox screen to find out what the perp could have given her. The doctor plans to keep her there at least another day before releasing her.
After a quick call to SVU to update the detectives on her condition, Bobby makes a call to Johnny Eames. Cragen has kept him in the loop and has already passed along the news that she's been found.
They talk for a little while until Eames's brother arrives to bring him to the hospital to see Alex.
After they hang up, he walks a couple blocks to a deli for a quick bite. He doesn't feel hungry, but he hasn't eaten anything since morning.
A few hours later, Alex is out of surgery and allowed visitors. The medical staff warn that she's still very groggy from the anesthesia and only awake for short intervals.
The family visits with her for a little while, until an examiner arrives to do the rape kit.
By then, it's late. The family decides to leave and return in the morning.
Bobby leaves the hospital in search of some coffee that isn't from a vending machine. He brings an extra cup back for the nurse who is stuck working a double shift.
By the time he returns, they've finished the rape kit. They allow him in to see her next.
There's a chance she'll be asleep and any talk about the case will have to wait. He's okay with this.
He just needs to see her.
x x x
Alex blinks her eyes a few times. The florescent lights streaming into her room from the hallway seem too bright.
It's been a few hours since the surgery. They cleaned her up after the exam and gave her some medication. She still has quite a few aches and pains. Mostly she feels drained.
She knows her family was here, but the details are very fuzzy. She's still a little groggy, but the effects of the anesthesia seem to be wearing off. She can hear conversations and other sounds from the hallway, and she's able to focus her eyes on the things in her room.
Her eyes drift around, taking in more of her surroundings.
She's out of hell...finally. But the last thing she wants is to be confined to anotherbed.
There's an IV in her arm for fluids and they're monitoring her blood pressure. Her left knee is in a cast and they have it elevated.
The knee feels numb at the moment, which is actually an improvement. In his last attack, Malik picks up something heavy and hits her knee to stop her from getting away. The pain just about killed her.
There's soreness and tenderness in her arms, legs and torso. Her pelvic area is a whole other story. She somehow survived the pelvic exam, but the painkillers aren't working fast enough. Malik's repeated attacks left cuts, bruising and tearing. If she ever sees that creep again, he's dead.
Her gaze drifts toward the hallway.
From her hospital bed, she has a view of the nurse's station, and the main desk. Beyond that is a little blurry. More rooms, maybe a bathroom and a waiting area.
She notices a man walking in her direction. Probably a visitor. The dark suit, tie and white shirt stand out among the hospital staff dressed in colored scrubs and a patient in a wheelchair waiting outside the bathroom.
She can't see his face, but the tall, slightly hunched posture and familiar strides give him away as he gets closer and closer.
It's Bobby. She thinks she sees his binder tucked into his arm too.
Her memory of those last few moments of her escape start coming back.
So Bobby had been there. Too many days of Malik and his sedatives, and she dismissed it as just another dream.
She remembers him standing over her and she remembers hearing his voice. She's blank on most everything beyond that point.
But how would he know I…? She stops herself mid-question and shakes her head. Nevermind, he's Bobby.
Except for the police, she isn't expecting any more visitors tonight.
Nothing against Bobby or the NYPD, but she'd rather not see anyone.
Her emotions are a little stirred up. She's embarrassed. She has too many aches and pains to pretend that she's fine. She hasn't seen a mirror in a while and she's not sure if she wants to.
She remembers feeling this way at the hospital after the Jo Gage incident too.
I'm sure I look a lot worse now.
The foot falls get closer and closer, pausing at the entrance to her room. Bobby enters and their eyes meet. A gentle smile appears. "Eames… Hey."
"H-hi…Bobby." Her words come out scratchy, weak and barely above a whisper. They probably forced an air tube down her throat at some point.
"Sorry if you were trying to sleep. I won't keep you long…" he says softly. "I just wanted to see that you're okay."
He walks up on the right side of her bed and she sits up a little. As he bends down for a hug, she opens her arms to him.
He's gentle. Warm. Familiar.
She definitely isn't okay, but he's helping.
Then the emotional weight she's been carrying around for two weeks lifts, releasing some of the tears she's held back.
She hates crying in front of people. Even someone she's known for years. But she can't stop.
Bobby's great though. He doesn't seem rattled by her tears, just holds her a little closer. He rubs her back and shoulders with the pads of his fingers and he's careful. She doesn't have to warn him about the sore places.
As sweet as he is, she begins to feel a little guilty. She pulls back, wiping tears away and avoiding eye contact.
"I—I'm sorry… I'm really not myself, Bobby." Her voice is faint. Her tone is weak and trembling, and she hates it.
"You don't have to be," he says sincerely.
He notices an arm chair in the corner and goes to retrieve it. He sets it down beside her bed and sits.
She takes a couple deep breaths before speaking. "So you're the one who got me out of there?"
Bobby shakes his head. "No, you did. I just found you a ride to the hospital."
"You're in big trouble for that one," she teases. Her hatred of hospitals aside, he probably got her some help just in time.
A subtle grin appears. "Yeah, I figured."
"Do you know how long I'm stuck here?"
"Another day, I think. They did emergency surgery on your knee. Everything went just fine. They're waiting on some lab tests. They make take more tests."
"Great," she mutters back.
He casually checks her over. Her coloring has improved a little. Bruises on her arms, collar bone and face. Swollen places on her face. Cuts have been treated; some are bandaged, some are left open to heal. Based on the shape of the cuts, he wonders if the perp wears a ring. He remembers seeing a flash of gloves in the video. Perhaps a second perp did them?
"You look like hell too, by the way," Alex teases, when she sees him taking note of her injuries.
He's been missing sleep over the last few nights, she knows the signs. He may have caught a cat nap in the hospital waiting room before coming in here, which would explain why the suit is a little disheveled. He hasn't shaved in at least the past two days.
He grins. "I'm sure I do."
"But I look a lot worse," she frowns.
"No, you don't," he offers.
"That almost sounded convincing," she shoots back. "How did you find me?" She notices that her voice is sounding a little better as she uses it.
"Manhattan SVU is handling your case. I wanted to help and Captain Cragen agreed. Benson and I tracked down the building where you were held, after looking into some real estate records."
She nods. "So what's with the suit?"
"Oh...um..." He glances down, because he can't remember what he's wearing. The past few days have been a blur. "I'm still dressed for work. I'm at Federal Plaza now."
"You are?" The smile is instant and genuine. "Bobby, that's great! They're damn lucky to have you!"
A shy grin crosses his face. Her opinion means a lot to him. "Thanks, Eames."
"What division?"
"Domestic terrorism."
"Did they assign you a partner yet?" she asks casually. There's a twinge of jealousy at the thought of Bobby working with someone else.
"Not yet."
"Oh…"
"They'd have some pretty big shoes to fill. I only work with the best" he adds sweetly, staring right at her.
She blushes. "Thanks."
"It's true."
"Feds will probably be involved in this case," she states.
"What do you mean?"
"Before I give you what I know, the police need to find William Coleson. I think he's in trouble. For his sake, I hope he escaped and is hiding out somewhere. Maybe Vermont. He has a home there. He lives in Brooklyn and works at the Port Authority. If they find him, he'll need protection."
"William…Coleson?" Bobby repeats back, opening his binder.
Alex nods. "He prefers to be called 'Cole.'"
He shows her a copy of a picture. It looks like a driver's license photo. "This him?"
She looks it over and nods.
"How do you know Coleson?"
"We were both held prisoner by the perp and his group of thugs."
"When did you last see him?"
"Two nights ago. Why?"
"Coleson was killed. Took two gun shots to the chest. Bronx PD found the body this morning. Coroner said he's been dead for at least 24 hours when they found him."
Alex nods and frowns.
"He was a suspect in Denise Tanney's murder about two years ago. I looked up some cold cases from around that time, along with the most recent series of rapes and murders in the last few weeks. There are similarities at the crime scenes. I thought the cases might be linked."
"They are," she answers, still processing the news of Cole's death.
"What do you know about this person who abducted you?"
"What I have to say about him won't help the case."
"Why not? He raped you, didn't he?"
"No, but he might have been planning to. According to Cole, the man who grabbed me is named Nasir. He says that's the same man who raped and murdered his girlfriend, Denise Tanney. The police never caught him. Meanwhile, as you said, the police pinned Cole as a suspect. He had no alibi the night she went missing."
"Except for a couple of DUI's around that same time, his record is clean."
She nods. "He mentioned that too. Said he knows he didn't handle things well. Denise's family and their lawyer used it to get custody of their daughter, Amanda. He tells me that he found and followed Nasir, and broke into his place to get information on Denise. He learned about all of Nasir's activities. Cole was afraid he'd never see justice for her. He sets a trap for Nasir just as he grabs his next victim…me. He said he strangled Nasir and killed him."
"Did you see him kill Nasir?"
She shakes her head. "Nasir put a cloth over my mouth and threw me into a van. I woke up hours later in the basement of that building, blindfolded and tied up. Cole filled me in later."
Bobby nods.
"Before he could deal with the body, Malik and two of his thugs showed up. They grab and detain us. They beat Cole until he explained what happened."
"Who's Malik?"
The pain in her eyes says it all.
Malik is toast.
"He kept me and Cole locked up. When I'd try to escape, he'd rape me and punish Cole because I got out. Cole said he thought Malik was a terrorist. One of Hassan's enemies. He thinks Malik planned to use me to lure Hassan and then kill him."
"Malik picked you out?"
"Me and Nasir."
"But why would Malik care about a serial rapist?"
"He didn't know what Nasir was up to. During a search of Nasir's place, Cole found some travel documents. Locations in Puntland, Malaysia, Libya… Malik must have known that too."
"So Malik assumed Nasir was a rival terrorist until they grabbed you and Cole?"
She nods. "Since Cole works for Port Authority, he used his access. It probably kept him alive long enough to get them what they need."
"You think Malik had Cole killed?"
"It could have been Malik or one of his men. Hassan may have figured out that someone was plotting to kill him. Malik could have leaked the word to one of Hassan's people that Cole was the hitman and set him up to be killed."
"Bronx Homicide is on the case. They'll find whoever killed Cole. So umm… Besides Malik, did any of these thugs…"
She reads his question before he asks it and nods. "Yes. Three of them raped me too. Five others should be charged with sexual assault."
Nine men assaulted her. Nine. And there were repeated attacks.
He's still adjusting to the news that she was attacked, beaten and raped, period.
This will take even longer.
"The ones who raped you… They wear condoms?"
"They did." She lowers her gaze. She remembers the showers and the baths. Malik forcing her to scrub off before or after each attack.
For now, she doesn't want to bring it up. Hopefully the rape kit will turn up something.
"How many men does Malik have working for him?"
"I don't know. About 15, give or take."
"You got names? Descriptions?"
She's able to recall 11 of them and a little physical description of each. Bobby notes it in his binder.
"That's all I can remember now."
"That's okay. What else can you tell me about Malik?"
"Malik wore a mask. I never saw him without it."
"What kind of mask?"
"Nylon hoods. About three or four different ones. It covered everything but his mouth, nostrils and eyes. Nothing else special about them. He could have picked them up anywhere."
"What else?"
"He's about 6 foot 1, small to medium frame. About 160-170 pounds. He's strong though. He must lift weights." She pauses to stifle some of the emotional build up, as thoughts of Malik and the attacks return. "He wore gloves, but I did see him without the gloves once. Medium to dark complexion. There's a scar on the back of his left hand that goes from his pinky to about his wrist. He wears a gold ring, but it's not a wedding band. Looks tarnished. He got me good a few times with that hand."
She lowers her head to hide the tears.
He touches her arm gently. "Eames...?"
She shakes her head and sniffles. Anger wells up in her and the tears surface quickly. "I should have been able to take him, Bobby! I should have..."
He finds a tissue box on the physician's table and grabs a couple of them for her. "If he hadn't drugged you, he'd only be recognized by his dental records."
She blots her eyes with the tissues. "Damn right."
They sit silently for a moment. Bobby leans a little closer and puts his hand on her shoulder. She doesn't seem to mind, so he gently strokes her arm and shoulder. She lifts her head after a minute and gives a nod to let him know she's okay. He moves his hand back.
"There's DNA at the crime scene that SVU thinks might belong to other victims. Did you hear or see anyone else while you were there?"
"No. There's a box of women's clothing in the next room. Might belong to Nasir's victims."
"Yeah, we found that box. In one of the basement rooms, SVU also found a container of dirt and bone fragments in a closet. Do you know who it might be?"
She shakes her head. "I have no idea."
"You said Cole was trapped there with you."
"Yes."
"Did he try to help you escape?"
"I attempted a few escapes on my own, but didn't get very far. In the beginning, Cole mostly discouraged me from leaving, saying I'd be severely punished by Malik if I got caught. He thought he was protecting me. He wanted us to wait it out, until Malik and his crew were about to intercept this shipment. When he knew it was going to happen, we made our plan. A few hours before we're supposed to escape, Cole leaves but he doesn't comes back. Malik returns hours later and he…"
Bobby responds with a nod that he understands without her saying it.
"I wondered if Malik got word of our escape plan and came back to punish me. That's also when he struck my knee. He leaves after that attack, and the next day and a half is quiet. I make my last attempt to escape and that's when you found me."
Bobby sits up in the chair a little. "Eames… The perp made DVDs of himself raping his victims and sent them to SVU. They received three DVDs showing the women getting raped. Sometime later, they'd find the body. Yours was the 4th DVD. Benson and Stabler came to Federal Plaza to see if there was any link between us, Major Case and this perp."
"Cole mentioned the DVDs. He said Nasir sent them. Nasir was killed so they should have stopped…" Her brows furrow. "Wait… How the hell could SVU have a DVD of me?"
"I don't know. There are differences in all of the videos which couldbe deliberate. A tactic to throw the police off." Bobby ponders another thought. "Do you think there's any chance Cole could have sent it?"
She shakes her head. "Cole wouldn't do that."
"You're sure?"
"He was told to keep me in the room. He could only leave the building with one of Malik's body guards, and it was to run specific errands. I was never allowed to leave."
"Do you know which errands he was asked to do?"
"He made one or two trips a day. Food stops. He picked up supplies. I think Malik had him doing a few illegal drops too."
"Okay, but why would Malik care about a police investigation, or try to cover up Nasir's crimes? Why would he want the police to know you were caught, if he's got something to hide from the Feds? He knows you're a cop."
She shrugs. "Maybe he thought the evidence would still point to Nasir. I really don't know. Malik is smart about cleaning his tracks. SVU and the Feds are going to have their hands full with this case."
"Well, someone who studies the other crimes closely would know how to make them similar. There were subtle differences in all the videos. I saw a few more in yours."
"Malik had several men working for him. They could have raided Nasir's place and had exactly what they need."
"From what you've told me, the only person who stood to gain by keeping the police guessing…is Cole."
"It wasn't him," she asserts.
"What if it was?"
She shakes her head. "No way."
"Alright, then… Who else could have sent it?"
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," she huffs. She turns her head and looks the other way.
"It's what the police and the attorneys are going to be asking, Eames," he adds.
"Well, he couldn't have done it himself. At most, they could have forced him to carry something to a mailbox. But to film me by himself, edit a video and send it to SVU? Not a chance."
"He'd be found guilty of murder, unless he could avoid it. You know the lengths some people will go to."
She raises her voice. "He wouldn't take them on! I saw them punish Cole! I'm pretty sure his autopsy report mentions the multiple injuries within the last two weeks! He was in a lot of pain, Bobby!"
They both receive a stern glare from a medical assistant who stops to see what's going on.
"Sorry," Bobby offers back guiltily. "We'll keep it down."
The medical assistant moves on. Silence and tension fill the room.
She's in a lot of pain, she's probably tired and he's pushing her with this questioning.
He doesn't know this Coleson guy, but he does trust her. She wouldn't defend him if she thought something was off.
Bobby releases a heavy sigh and prepares an apology. "Eames…I—"
They're interrupted again as Benson and Stabler enter the room.
"Hey Alex!" Olivia greets as she makes her way toward the opposite side of the hospital bed from Bobby.
"Sorry, we were held up longer than expected," Elliot explains to Bobby.
Alex's frown lifts into a shy smile when she sees her colleagues. Bobby gets up out of the chair and wanders toward the back of the room. It's to stretch his legs, give himself room to pace if he needs it, and also give her and the detectives some space.
"You don't know how happy I am to see you," Olivia greets her with a hug.
"You too, Liv."
Elliot steps up next, hugs her and pecks her on the cheek. "Glad you're okay. Munch and Fin send their best."
"Thanks Elliot."
Elliot steps back, but keeps his focus on her. "We don't have a suspect yet. We did find some bone fragments in soil. Any chance you took care of our perp and saved us the headache?"
Alex grins at his teasing. "No, not yet."
"Any chance you know who those bones might belong to?" Liv asks.
She shakes her head. "Honestly, no. It might be Nasir. Might be one of Nasir's victims…"
"Nasir?" Elliot repeats back.
They're interrupted when Captain Cragen enters with ADA Cabot.
"Alex, do you recognize this man?" Cabot shows her a picture on her phone of the man they arrested outside the building. "His name is Lee Drakes. We have him in custody. So far, he isn't talking."
She looks at the image and nods. "Yes. He's one of Malik's thugs. He didn't rape me or sexually assault me. He forcefully kept me in the room and he physically assaulted Cole."
"Who's…Cole?" Elliot asks.
"Why don't you fill us in with what you remember," Cabot prompts.
Eames relays the same information she shared with Bobby to SVU and the ADA.
"So Nasir is dead, but we have no body. We have no way to link him to the other cases." Cabot states after Alex concludes.
Elliot folds his arms and peers over at Cabot. "How much time do we have until the Feds storm in and tell us to stand down?"
"Malik will be charged with rape, obstruction and whatever else I can make stick. Don't worry, Elliot," she replies.
"We should go and let her get some rest," Olivia requests. She turns back to Alex. "We'll send over a sketch artist in the morning."
They say their goodbyes and file out of the room. Bobby lingers near the foot of the bed after the last person leaves.
He takes a couple steps toward her. "Eames… I'm sorry."
"I can't blame you for being suspicious, Bobby," she states calmly. "I still have questions too."
There's weariness, sadness and a little frustration in her tone. But as far as he can tell, their disagreement has already been forgotten.
"If you say he didn't, that's good enough for me."
"Thanks. So tell me about the job…" she prompts. She gestures toward the chair where he was sitting earlier.
"You should get some sleep," he replies.
"So should you. But I don't think either of us is going to."
He makes his way over to the chair beside the bed and sits down. "I got the call the very next day. They put me on a plane for a week's worth of training in Quantico."
"I thought it was supposed to be six weeks? Why aren't you there now?"
"They needed me for another assignment… And then another… Then another. So they put the rest of the training on the back burner. They sent me all over the country… Chicago, Houston…"
"And I know how much you love to travel," she teases.
"Yeah. Anyway, they wanted my opinion on a few suspects. I read a few psych profiles, rode with a couple agents, watched surveillance footage."
"Beats the hell out of training."
"Exactly."
x
The next hour and a half goes by quickly.
Bobby does most of the talking, relaying what he can of some of the cases he was asked to review in Chicago and Houston.
There were stories about his trips and the other agents too. He shares anything he knows she might find amusing.
Intentional or not, it gets her mind off the present situation.
She missed him. She missed the 'shop talk.' She missed Bobby's inability to sit still when he speaks. The constant hand movements, his mental energy.
He notices when she's getting tired. Her eyes shut periodically, but she blinks them a few times in an effort to stay awake.
He'd like for her to get some sleep, but he knows better than to press the issue.
The lights are already dim and the room is mostly quiet. The noise from the equipment is hardly noticeable after sitting there for two hours.
The breaks in their conversation get longer and longer. Eventually, they're both asleep.
After a decade of being partners and napping in shifts on stake out, they know how the other sleeps.
Eames doesn't snore, she doesn't talk in her sleep. She's a light sleeper… Usually.
The moment she starts becoming restless, Bobby wakes.
At first, he notices the soft grunts, the light fidgeting. She'll shake her head, flex her hand, move her arm or the leg without the cast.
Although he's already awake, the loud gasp from her startles him.
The restlessness picks up. A light layer of perspiration covers her face, neck and arms. She tenses her body and shifts a little in the bed, although her movements are restricted by the machines and her elevated knee.
She reaches with her hands and arms like she's grasping for something. The gasps and grunts become louder and more frequent.
Bobby gets up from the chair, perches on the side of the hospital bed and puts his hand over her arm to still her movements. "Eames…?"
She doesn't respond. When he prompts her again, she swats at him.
He leans in closer, keeping his voice low and calm. "Eames, wake up… It's okay."
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" she groans, batting him with her hand again. Her heartbeat stammers wildly.
Realizing he has no other option, he raises his voice. "EAMES! WAKE UP!"
She startles and her eyes open.
Another medical assistant appears in the doorway. "Everything okay?"
"She was having a bad dream," he explains.
"If she needs something to help her relax, let me know and I'll get ahold of the doctor."
"Thanks," he replies. The medical assistant leaves.
"Eames, look at me… It's Bobby," he says softly.
He gives her a minute to get comfortable with her surroundings, but she still seems disoriented. He watches her gaze drift about without settling on anything in the room or on him. She continues to pant, gasp and shake from the distress of her dream. He doesn't have to check to know that her pulse is racing.
Panic attack.
"Shhh… Slow, deep breaths. Control your breathing. Take ahold of my arm or my shoulder if you have to."
She doesn't take his arm, but she does follow his suggestion about the deep breaths and she keeps her eyes on him. It takes a couple minutes for the episode to pass.
"D-did I hit you?" she asks.
"Yeah. But it's okay."
"I'm sorry… Look, you don't have to stay here."
"I know."
When he doesn't make an effort to move, she prompts him again. "Bobby…"
"I'll leave in a little while. Try to sleep." Bobby settles back in the same chair.
It doesn't take her long to fall back asleep. Thirty minutes later, there's another nightmare.
The gasps and tremors catch his attention. She awakens again with another panic attack. He uses the same approach to bring her out of it.
"Go home. I'm keeping you up," she says guiltily.
"I'm fine."
"Bullshit. You haven't slept," she argues.
"I've slept…enough."
"I doubt that. I'm sure you've got to be at work in a few hours."
He dismisses her comments. "Let me try something…"
"You're not going to get me to fall asleep again, so you might as well give up."
"You trust me?"
"Yeah. Of course."
He stands up, turns around and perches on the side of the bed near the headboard. They're facing the same direction.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"Will it bother you if I sit here?"
"N-no." There's a little confusion in her eyes.
"Good. Can you sit up a little?"
She does.
There are two pillows on her bed. Most of the beds have just one pillow, unless someone requests a second. Could have been a family member.
Bobby fluffs and adjusts her pillows, then sets them back down. "Is that okay?"
She's propped up a little more, but this is actually better. "Now you expect me to fall asleep?"
"I just thought it would be more comfortable. I also thought it would help if I wasn't…facing you…um….in case you do fall asleep."
"How hard did I hit you before?"
He grins. "Not as hard as you could have."
"So…now what?"
"You don't want to sleep. Let's talk."
He starts telling her about one of the other new hires at Federal Plaza.
"Worman is fresh out of the academy. He's smart, just needs a little more job experience. He'll make a good agent." He tells her a couple stories he overheard about Worman's training and his first case alongside a seasoned agent. "She was ready to kill him after one day on the job."
"I thought you said you spent most of the last two weeks traveling and the rest of the time with SVU… How come you know so much about this guy?" she asks.
"My boss and I caught up by phone while I was away. He wanted to fill me in about the team. I think he'd like to send this guy somewhere else."
"Just because he's a rookie?"
"He's got a lot of quirks."
"Like someone else I know?" she teases.
Bobby grins.
The subject of rookies continues for a little while until Alex can no longer stay awake. By 5:30, she's sleeping soundly.
Maybe he'll stay around just in case.
There isn't much room on that bed unless he turns onto his side, which he does. He faces her. They're not even touching, although her shoulder lies less than an inch from his.
He's able to stretch out a little more without disturbing her.
His exhaustion, the softness and warmth of the bed, and Alex sleeping peacefully beside him helps lull him to sleep.
A little before 7:00, Bobby awakens. One glance confirms she's still asleep.
He sends a quick text to his boss, letting him know he'll be in at 9:30, then falls back to sleep.
At 9:00, Bobby awakens again, feeling a little more rested. He carefully gets out of the bed and gathers his binder, phone and keys.
After one last look at her, he leaves her room.
x x x
TBC…
Next, Chapter 9 – Visiting Hours