Bobby followed Alex into the abandoned warehouse. It was cold and dark he could barely make out her soft silhouette. They were headed toward the center of the warehouse where there was a suspect holding a hostage. The man, Allen Pisco, was accused of 3 murders in Manhattan. They could here him screaming at his hostage. "Why aren't they here yet? There good detectives they should be here by now." he said. Alex after hearing this turned around. He motioned to stop so that they could try and hear more. "That women detective, I could hear her heals clicking on the concrete they are here." he said. He saw Eames shake her head and he thought he heard some muttered cuss words. "Come out, I know you are here." he said. They both had been on an evening off and she must have forgotten the heels. Where had she been? He couldn't help but wonder. Alex began to move toward the voice. He was making her angry. Bobby followed. They came into the light were they could see the hostage and the suspect. "Oh hello detectives, I have been waiting." he said. "Let her go. Aren't you man enough to keep this between us. I guess you aren't all you think you are." she said. Her gun already pointed at him. "Ah Alex, yes that's right i know your name, and Bobby, mamma's little boy. I know more about you then you do." he said. Alex took a second to deal with the name thing. He recovered for her, but before he could say anything. The door slammed behind them. "I will open that door for the victim but only if Detective Eames comes and gets her." he said. Alex nodded at Bobby, he nodded back. "Ah not that easy, DROP THE GUN!!" he said. They had been warned that he was crazy but this was the first time anything had happened. She dropped it but he thought it may have been more out of surprise. "Now you can come get her Alex." he said smoothly. She took two steps towards him and he didn't move. Bobby began to move in behind her. "STOP!! ONLY HER OR EVERYBODY DIES!!" he screamed. She walked to him but as soon as she touched the hostage, he threw the hostage toward the wall and grabbed her. Bobby stared down the barrel of his gun. "Bobby you now have three options: You can shoot this young hostage here, You can shoot yourself, or you can shoot Alex." he said gesturing toward Alex. Alex's eyes flared with determination to survive and he could feel her blind hope in him. He had to make the right choice. He assessed the situation. He was using Alex as a human shield he needed him to move. "Well I can't shoot myself because that would injure me and make me unable to protect them." he said out loud. He glanced at the hostages; a young girl and Alex. The girls eyes were large and pleading. "Please don't hurt me." they seemed to beg. He looked at Alex. That was enough he couldn't compare them. He began to think back to anatomy. If he could move out to one side, even just for a second he could get a shot. He had a way but he needed a distraction. The hostage began to move to the door. The gunman moved his gun off Eames and began to lift it toward the girl. He saw his chance. He told Alex in a milliseconds glance what was about to happen. She closed her eyes but the gunman made a last minute try to escape the bullet. The gunman threw Eames in front of him. The bullet hit him, but only after passing through Alex. "Suspect and officer down requesting a bus!" someone screamed into the radio as the broke through the door. For the first time on the job, Bobby froze.

6 HOURS LATER

"She's in surgery" he said to the captain as he walked toward him. His thoughts hadn't left her for all the six hours he had been waiting. "Goren, it's not your fault, you did what every cop would have done." he said. "I'm not every cop, I'm an individual who made a choice. A choice that could have killed my partner. I know I have to leave but at least let me see her." he said. Suddenly a nurse came rushing out into the waiting room. "Who is here for Alexandra Eames?" she said. Bobby and the captain rushed over. "We are." the captain said. "She is out of surgery, it looks like she's gonna make it." the nurse said. "Can we see her?" Bobby asked. "Only one visitor at a time, I can take you back." she said. The captain nodded at Bobby. He followed the nurse to a room. There was Eames under coils of tubing. He hated seeing her like this. "You know that I can't see you for a while because of all this police 'procedure' but know that I'm sorry for everything. I want to talk to you so bad, to hear you talk. It's a weird thing to miss Alex but you've been my partner so long. I am going to send you flowers even if I can't see you I hope you like them. I am sorry." he said. He realized she was asleep but he couldn't help but hope that somehow she had heard him. "Goodbye Alex" he said as leaned down and kissed her softly on her cheek.