PART 3 OF 6 IN THE 'DREAMS' SERIES. Personal problems threaten to split up the team. When an agent disappears while on an assignment out of town, the remaining team members work to bring them all together again.

DISCLAIMER: The Characters of Sue Thomas, Jack Hudson, Bobby Manning, Dimitrius (D) Gans, Donna Gans, Tanya Gans, David (Davey) Gans, Myles Leland III, Tara Samuel, Lucy Dotson, Ted Garrett, Darcy D'Angelo, and Levi are the property of Pebblehut, Paxson Entertainment, Dave Alan Johnson, Gary R. Johnson, and their subsidiaries and related parties. Similarities of other characters to individuals real or imagined are purely coincidental.

Chapter 1

Stepping off the elevator, Bobby dragged himself down the hallway towards the bullpen. Six weeks of practically sleepless nights were getting to him, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Unfortunately, whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the van exploding and his best friend lying in a pool of blood, but the more disturbing images were of a certain petite blonde agent.

At the hospital before Jack was shot, Bobby had thought something special was happening between him and Tara. After everything they'd been through, he was relieved that she agreed to help him settle back at his apartment when he was discharged. However, almost as soon as they got to his place, things changed, and even their relationship at the office was suffering.

Tara wouldn't speak to him, and any time he touched her, she'd jump and pull away as if she'd been burnt. Bobby didn't know what he'd done, but it was tearing him up inside, and he'd do anything to take back those few stolen kisses, returning their friendship to how things were before.

Expecting to be the first one in the office, Bobby's steps faltered when he realized the woman occupying his thoughts had beaten him in. Hearing someone enter the bullpen, Tara had turned from her desk, the greeting forming on her lips fading as soon as she saw him.

"Tara," Bobby whispered breathlessly, his heart pounding at seeing her sitting there. A part of him wondered if she was really there, or if he'd wanted to see her so bad that he'd made her up in his mind.

Bobby took a step towards her, only to see her recoil back against her chair as if she was afraid he was going to touch her. Oh, Tara, what have I done? he wondered sadly, looking away as he continued to his desk, dropping his coat over the back of his chair.

"Good, you're both here," Ted Garrett called from the door before Bobby could sit down. "My office, NOW," he bellowed, turning and leaving as quickly as he had come in.

Bobby's eyes went from the retreating figure of his supervisor to the hazel eyes of the woman across the room. Their gazes locked momentarily before she dropped her eyes to her lap and silently pushed away from her desk, following Garrett out the door.

With a dejected sigh, Bobby tiredly ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. This is going to be another long day, he thought, shuffling out behind them.

Chapter 2

After closing the door, Ted Garrett returned to behind his desk, closely observing the two agents seated across from him. The big man knew that his team had been deeply affected by their recent case. However, Tara and Bobby seemed to have changed the most, barely speaking to each other, and it was causing tension between everyone in the bullpen.

With Bobby, Jack, and Sue injured, he'd limited them to paperwork for the last several weeks, but now they had to get back to work. Garrett worried about his selections for this case, but he'd considered the situation and felt he was doing the best thing for everyone involved.

"There's a problem out of the San Antonio Field Office, and they've asked for our help," he started, his eyes darting back and forth between the two agents as he lifted the file folder in front of him. "Someone has been using FBI computers to gain access to agent information, compromising undercover assignments in the area," he continued, shuffling papers in the folder.

"Texas is kind of far from here, Ted," Bobby spoke up first, glancing briefly towards Tara. "What does it have to do with us?"

"The Special Agent in Charge has asked for our help, so the two of you will be going undercover to assist," Garrett explained, looking over the top of the file.

"Undercover?" Tara questioned, shifting uncomfortably in her chair when her comment brought Bobby's attention to her. "But if someone is getting into the computer system, won't they know we are undercover?"

"Yes," Garrett responded, lowering the folder finally. "That's why you'll be going as yourselves," he stated simply. "Hopefully, it will set you up as the next marks."

"What?" Bobby leaned forward in his chair.

"We believe the information was being garnered by Brad Morgan, a computer specialist for the San Antonio office," Garrett explained, handing Bobby the folder he'd been looking at. "Morgan's wife, Denise, happens to be an agent out of the Kerrville Resident Agency, and about a week ago the two of them disappeared."

"Any sign of foul play?" Tara asked professionally, reaching for the folder.

Garrett noticed the way she snatched her hand back quickly when their fingers touched accidentally, but didn't say anything. Instead, he watched as Bobby laid the folder on the edge of the desk for Tara to pick up, almost as if they were afraid of any physical contact.

"There's been no sign of them since their disappearance," Garrett informed them. "The two of you will be replacing them, while investigating their disappearance," he maintained, handing Bobby and Tara new individual folders. "Here are your covers."

"Covers?" Bobby asked confused. "If we are going as ourselves, why do we need covers?" he questioned as Tara started reviewing the file.

"Married!" Tara exclaimed, gaping at the information she was reading.

"Married?" Bobby's head snapped around. "What are you talking about?" he questioned the petite agent before opening his own folder to read for himself.

"As I said, the previous agents were a married couple, assigned to separate offices," Garrett explained, putting his hand up when the two agents started to argue. "We need an agent a both offices, but able to communicate with each other. The best way to do that without raising any suspicions is to have the two of you married," he concluded.

"But…Jack and Sue normally do the married thing," Tara muttered, looking up from the documents with disbelief written on her face. "I normally stay in the office," she insisted, closing her folder with a snap.

"Well, this time, we need someone with your computer expertise, so we have the possibility of them approaching you and not someone else," Garrett maintained. He knew convincing them of their importance on this case would be the hardest part of the assignment, and he wasn't looking forward to this. "With this being a cyber crime, you'd be the lead agent on this assignment," he informed her.

"Then Sparky can team up with Tara," Bobby asserted upon learning this new information. "He's had more experience with this," he persisted. "He and Sue have done the married thing a couple of times undercover," he clarified, looking back and forth between the petite agent and his supervisor.

Bobby wanted to take back his words as soon as he saw the hurt flash across her face. He hadn't meant to insult her but he didn't know if he could do this assignment with her. After everything that they'd been through the last thing he wanted was the make it more difficult for her. Maybe if we are apart for a while, we can forget and everything can get back to normal again, he thought hopefully.

"Jack has his own assignment for this case," Garrett interjected. "He and Thomas will be joining you in a few days as your back-up, as will Myles. Your flight leaves at noon from Reagan, so get home and get packed," he continued, looking between the two of them, noticing the sparks of anger flying from the petite blonde's eyes.

Manning, this might be your most dangerous assignment yet, Garrett considered ruefully as he watched the two of them slowly leave his office. I hope I don't live to regret putting the two of you together, but something has to happen to get things back to normal, he sighed, before returning to his paperwork.