Title: Survival Skills

Author: E.Helena

Summary: You can never be too careful.

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Dick Wolf, René Balcer and the actors who bring them to life. No harm intended, no money made.

Archive: Fanfiction - anywhere else, just ask

Feedback: Please! Encouragement and constructive criticism are always welcome.

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explosion (ĭk-splō'zhən)
A violent blowing apart or bursting caused by energy released from a very fast chemical reaction, a nuclear reaction, or the escape of gases under pressure.

Bobby could hear the timer ticking as he slowly opened the door and peered inside. Eames leaned to one side in order to see past his shoulder. He heard her breath catch, and turned his head to look at his partner. Doubt clouded her eyes.

His attention was momentarily drawn from her eyes to her mouth as she anxiously licked her lips. "Bobby, are you sure about this?"

"Stay calm, Eames," he quietly soothed. Bobby understood her concern, but he was confident he could do this successfully. "Just … ignore the timer. And trust me." A short nod of her head and he saw a new resolve settle into the golden brown of her eyes. Reassured by her renewed confidence in him, Bobby turned back to the task at hand. He crouched down in order to get a closer look and began to reach …

"What if it explodes?" Eames hissed not far from his ear.

Bobby stilled his hands and took a steadying breath before responding. "It's not going to explode," he replied evenly, somewhat proud of himself for controlling his impatience with her. "Maybe you should wait somewhere else," he suggested.

"No." Out of the corner of his eye he saw her hair toss with the shake of her head. "If you're determined to do this, then I'm staying right here."

He absently nodded agreement and refocused his efforts, reaching into the confining space.

"Maybe we should…"

"Eames," he interrupted her but did not hesitate in his movements. Timing was of the essence now, and he could no longer afford to be distracted from his course of action. "I've done this before. You just have to be … very … steady. And not make any … sudden … moves," he ended on a whisper.

Slowly he slid it toward him, lifting carefully while standing, and safely placed it on the counter. Bobby took a step back and they both stared in awe. Eames clutched his forearm and released the breath she'd been holding. "Perfect," she murmured.

Bobby grinned at her. "You pour the coffee," his voice was filled with pride. "I'll serve the chocolate soufflé."

-End-