Patching Wounds: Ch. 19

By: The Confused One

A/N: And here is the long awaited next chapter of Patching Wounds. This chapter just didn't want to come. It was like pulling teeth. So I hope it isn't too horrible. Please enjoy, and remember to review. Thanks.

With a tight smile, John answered the door. He sighed softly. "I know you two have had a hard day. I tried to explain to your mother… She wouldn't listen, and everyone is here. I'm sorry."

Alex mentally groaned. It was one thing for Bobby to deal with her family before, this was completely different. She had wanted to do this in bites, keep it from overwhelming Bobby. She knew how her family could be, and she didn't want him to go running for the hills. She wanted to start with her parents. Then tell her sister, and finally her brothers. Now she wasn't sure if it was a good idea to say anything to anyone. She put on a smile and tried to assure her father, "That's OK. I just don't know how great our company will be. It's been a long day, and I'd rather avoid the subject of what happened today for a little while."

Letting them, he nodded in understanding. "I won't bring it up. Though, I want the details at some point."

Alex nodded, relieved. "Thanks, Daddy, and I promise I'll tell you." Now that Jillian Slaughter was behind bars and it was all over, she was starting to really relax again.

Following John into the den, she and Bobby made small talk with her family. They avoided Tom's, Alex's older brother, attempt to ask them what happened. Being a cop, he had heard bits and pieces. They made it through dinner. As everyone finished eat and dessert was being served, Alex looked at Bobby nervously. She still wasn't sure she wanted to do this tonight.

Bobby looked at her again. Catching her gaze, he didn't miss the uncertainty. Swallowing hard, he decided to try to take matters into his own hands. He watched her carefully. "Eames."

She turned to look at him. Locking eyes, she was startled but not shocked when he leaned forward and kissed her. She had long since learned to expect the unexpected from Bobby. Resisting the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and deepen the kiss, she was acutely aware of the sudden silence in the room. She felt all of their eyes on them. Letting the kiss linger for just a moment, she pulled away. Blushing slightly, she turned to look at her family. Sure enough, they were all staring at them, waiting for an explanation. Bobby would get his later. Alex ventured, "I…uh… A couple of things have happened since we got the Slaughter case."

The room erupted in laughter. Alex's sister, Andrea, teasingly spoke up, "So that's the real reason you've been staying over at Bobby's place…"

Alex tried not to laugh. She shook her head. "Shut up, Andi. That's…not…all of it."

Tom watched her closely now. He ventured, "What did happen?"

Alex glanced at Bobby. With a sigh, she explained, "Bobby took me home after I…killed Chance Slaughter. He ended up staying the night. Things kind of escalated. We ended up admitting some things we've been feeling for a while…"

Jennifer, Tom's wife, grinned. "It's about time."

Scott, Alex's other brother added, "I'm pretty sure this means Kelly and I won the bet, too."

Kelly, Scott's wife, laughed. She nodded. "Yeah, I think it does."

Amused, Bobby raised his eyebrows. "You placed bets on us?"

Andrea's husband, Dennis, nodded. "You didn't think we would?"

Alex shook her head. "And here we worried how everyone would take it…"

Studying them, John hated to break the jovial mood, especially when it was so obvious how Bobby and Alex both felt, but someone had to make they knew what they were doing. "You two have thought this through, right?"

Alex instantly met her father's eyes. Her smile fell. With a nod, she seriously assured him, "Yes, Daddy. We have. This is what we want, and we can make it work. We were going to tell Deakins when Anna Slaughter was murdered. Chance's wife…Jillian, she wanted revenge. That's why she took that shot at me. Bobby insisted I stay with him, to keep me safe."

Andrea grinned. She playfully replied, "I bet he did."

Alex tried to keep the smile off her face. "Shut up, Andi. Anyway, as I was saying, we were getting nowhere with finding her. I wanted this over. Today, I went home. She showed up just as we predicted, and we took her into custody. End of story."

John eyed her carefully. Taking a deep breath, he bit his tongue. Sometimes he hated that his children followed him into law enforcement.

Tom had no such self control. Staring at Bobby, he demanded, accusingly, "You let her do that?"

Bobby raised his eyebrows, he calmly replied, "I think we both know you don't let your sister do anything."

Alex smirked. She added, "I didn't give him a choice. Leave him alone. It had to be done. As I pointed out to him, it's my job."

Mary watched her children's back and forth. She met her daughter's eyes. "We just want you safe."

Alex smiled. She nodded. "I know, Mom, and I appreciate that, but I don't need protection. I can do my job."

Mary sighed. She nodded again. "We know you can."

Alex smiled again. Relaxing, she let it go. "Good…"

Andrea shook her head. Getting up, she offered, "Who wants cheesecake?"

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Leaving the house, Alex walked beside Bobby. She shot him a half-hearted glare. She commented, "I thought you were afraid of telling them."

Amused, Bobby smiled. Glancing over at her, he replied, "Yeah, well, I got the distinct impression you weren't going to do it. I just thought one of us needed to do it. We had to tell them sometime."

Alex smirked. She shook her head. "I should hit for you doing it that way."

Bobby laughed. He nodded. "Maybe, but you won't."

Alex snickered. Giving him a mock glare, she pouted, "Arrogance doesn't suit you, Goren."

Bobby smirked. "Yeah, but you love me anyway."

Alex sighed. Opening the car door, she lamented, "Yeah, well, they were easy compared to Deakins tomorrow." She pointed at him and warned, "Don't you dare try to kiss me in his office tomorrow."

Bobby laughed. Sliding into the passenger's seat, he assured her, "I wouldn't dream of it."