Title: At the Last Minute

Summary: Alex always avoids celebrating St. Valentine's Day, for obvious reasons. Alex Eames' s POV.

Setting: Post-Loyalty

Disclaimer: The Law & Order characters are owned by Dick Wolf. No infringement of rights is intended. This story is written for entertainment purposes only.

She'd almost made it. Alex Eames checked the time: four o'clock in the afternoon on February 14th. St. Valentine's Day was almost over. Just a few hours to go.

Alex leaned back in her chair and looked around the busy office. She'd been working at a security consulting company for a few weeks, and was still learning the names of her coworkers. They seemed like good people.

Only one desk showed any signs of the holiday. The secretary had decorated with red paper hearts, a dish of candy and a small flower arrangement. A heart-shaped balloon was tied to the back of her chair, and it was constantly bobbing and bouncing. Alex was glad her desk faced away from the secretary. The other desks in the open bullpen area held computers, phones, papers - nothing to remind her of the day. She liked it that way.

Over the years since Joe's death, Alex had learned to keep a low profile during the lead-up to Valentine's Day. She'd come to terms with the understanding that she'd probably never marry again. The older she got, the slimmer her chances were of finding a good man who'd want to be with her. Intellectually she accepted this - but something inside her still felt the sting of being alone on Valentine's Day, and so she avoided the topic as much as possible.

For weeks it was impossible to watch TV, listen to the radio, surf the internet, read the newspaper or walk through a store without a barrage of reminders that she didn't have a husband any more. No boyfriend, no children, no one to send her a Valentine present - she was on the outside looking in.

She'd had plenty of time to analyze the situation. It wasn't simply Valentine's Day that had to be survived. The entire period from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years to Valentine's Day was filled with occasions meant for couples and families. She had to navigate through a long gauntlet of sharp edges and barbs that could easily wound her. It didn't help that her birthday fell in that stretch as well.

Alex knew how to prepare herself outwardly. She gladly participated in all Eames holiday celebrations; she enjoyed the time with her parents, siblings and nephews and nieces. She made sure no one felt sorry for poor, lonely Aunt Alex. It was only when she went home - alone - that she struggled against feeling sorry for herself.

She never admitted she felt lonesome - what was the use? She had a wonderful, special nephew, and was grateful for good relationships with her extended family. She had good friends. Many people had far less. The internal lecture had been delivered over and over.

There was one small acknowledgment of Valentine's Day, a tiny ritual she'd started during her years at Major Case in the NYPD: she'd buy a bag of candy hearts - the kind with cute messages printed on them - and snack on them instead of her usual Skittles, Reese's Pieces or M&M's. She'd pick out a few hearts with innocuous messages such as "Hey You" or "Smile" and leave them on her partner's desk. Bobby would thank her, read them aloud and pop them into his mouth.

Each year she breathed a sigh of relief when she made it to February 15th, and could go on with her work and life. She was almost there now.

"Hey, Alex?" Two of her coworkers approached her desk. "Do you have time to look at this proposal for the Berlin orchestra's US tour? We'd like your input."

Glad of the distraction, she followed them to a small conference room where a data projector was already displaying the opening slide of a presentation for their prospective customer. The world of security was familiar enough, but the business aspect was new to her, and she was trying to work through the learning curve as fast as she could.

When she returned to her desk forty minutes later, Alex noticed it was different. The folders which had been spread across the top were all stacked off to the side. Who dared to mess with her desk?

Her frown quickly faded when she saw what had been placed in the middle of the empty desk blotter. It was a small candy heart.

Nobody here knew about her tradition. She hadn't bought her usual bag of candies this year, so it had to be...? Her heart leapt into her throat.

She snatched up the candy and scanned the room. There at the doorway was Bobby Goren, hands clasped behind his back in his characteristic way. Alex smiled broadly and waved him over.

She hadn't seen Bobby since she started this job, although they'd spoken on the phone a few times. She knew he was expecting an interview with the FBI – was he here to tell her about a job offer?

Bobby calmly weaved his way among the desks. His hair seemed freshly cut, and his beard was gone. He wore his overcoat, a dark suit, a new-looking white shirt and a tie striped in shades of blue and gray – all the signs of an interview.

"Hey," she said, holding up the tiny candy. "Thanks. I was just thinking about these." Alex felt like hugging him in greeting, but she was aware her coworkers were watching with great interest. They would naturally assume he was her boyfriend. At this moment, late on Valentine's Day, Alex was willing to let them believe it.

"Did you read it?" he asked quietly, as he stopped a respectable distance from her. Of course he'd be sensitive to the fishbowl office environment.

She turned it in her fingers: "Miss You".

"Bobby..." Alex felt a blush spread across her cheeks. She sat down, hoping no one noticed. When she peeked up at Bobby, he held out another candy heart. It said, "It's True". Alex fiddled with the papers on her desk, smiling and shaking her head. A third heart appeared in front of her: "OMG!"

She had to chuckle. "What's this one for?"

Bobby shrugged. "I never saw that on a candy heart before." He lowered himself into the visitor chair beside her desk. "I shouldn't keep you from..." he waved his hand vaguely.

"Nah, I'm through for the day. That's one good thing about a civilian job," she said. "Regular hours." She gazed at him. It was obvious he had big news. She was eager to ask, but the wide-open office wasn't the place to have a private discussion. "Want to get a drink somewhere?"

He nodded. "Maybe dinner, too?" he asked.

Now she was becoming worried. Was he trying to soften the blow? Was the FBI going to send him out of the country? She felt an uncomfortable knot of tension in her gut.

Bobby watched her lock up her desk and don her coat. He was fidgety as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. No small talk. This was definitely big.

They stepped out into mid-town Manhattan's busy foot traffic. Alex couldn't wait until they reached a restaurant. She caught Bobby's arm and pulled him out of the flow of pedestrians.

"What is it?" she asked, studying his face. "Why did you come today?"

"You're impatient," he said, looking amused.

"Come on, Goren, give!"

"Well, I – I came to see you..."

She shoved him back against the building. "Bobby! What did the FBI say?"

"Oh, that." He looked surprised at the question. "It's, uh – it's not going to work out with them."

Alex gaped. "They didn't want you? Those idiots!"

"No, Eames." Bobby grasped her shoulders. "They did want me."

"They did?"

"...but it was overseas. I turned it down."

Alex decided to quit guessing and just listen. Bobby still looked restless - if this wasn't about a job with the Feds, what on earth was he going to tell her?

Bobby continued, "Yeah, I, uh, told them I need to stay in New York, and if they couldn't do that... So far they haven't gotten back to me."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I'm not worried about it."

She looked up at him, suddenly alert. "You need to stay in New York? Need to?"

"Well, want to." Bobby dropped his hands from her shoulders and gestured. "Traveling... Uprooting... Who wants that? Maybe I'll apply here – work with you." He tilted his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

Alex noticed a couple of her coworkers who'd come out of the building. They walked past slowly, but she didn't acknowledge them. She kept her eyes on Bobby as she repeated her earlier question. "Why did you come today?"

He winked and leaned a little closer. "To see you. You know..." He fumbled in his coat pockets, then jacket pockets and pants pockets until he drew out a handful of candy hearts. He turned each to check the message, and then handed one to Alex.

She had to swallow a thick lump in her throat. It said, "Be Mine".

"Bobby..."

As she stared at the candy in her palm, he placed another beside it: "Luv Ya". And another: "Will You?"

Alex swiftly closed her fist and reached out to drop the candies back into Bobby's hand. He looked bewildered, but neither spoke as she searched through her own pockets. She finally found the first three hearts he'd given her.

This Valentine's Day had definitely taken a turn for the better. Alex smiled and held up her tiny candy-gram reply: "OMG!"