Friend in Need by mardel I just borrowed them for the story. Bobby was walking up the hallway at his apartment, it was late and the light in the hall was dim. He noticed a person slumped against the wall, he pulled his weapon and was prepared for the worst. "I'm armed buddy, you might want to rethink this." Bobby warned, in his best macho male voice. The person looked up, "You're here." Then she fell to the floor. Bobby moved forward, still cautious just because it was a women didn't mean it wasn't a trap. He checked the next hallway for anyone hiding. But found nothing. He checked the woman on the floor, she wasn't very big. She had a mop of reddish hair and her pulse was weak. He opened his apartment door and carried her inside. He checked his entire apartment, before returning to the woman/girl. He turned on the light by the couch, and pushed the hair off her face. That was when he saw that is was Sara. Sara as in his former chick roommate from the hospital. It had been over a year since he'd seen her. She was working for the research group that had taken over the follow up of the homeless people. She was the liaison between the people and the researchers. She'd sounded happy the last time he'd spoken with her. "Sara, wake up. What's happened?" Bobby patted her cheek hoping to revive her. He was about to call Claire when her eyes fluttered open. "Bobby is it really you this time?" she asked lifting a hand towards him. "I'm here Sara what's happened? Did someone try to hurt you?" He didn't see any signs of her having been attacked but he didn't know what else could have driven her to find him. "They want to kill me. I saw them, they were stealing from the hospital." She told him, then shivered. Bobby went to his bedroom and returned with a blanket. He wrapped it around her and went to put hot water on for some tea. He remembered she drank tea. With lots of sugar. "How long were you waiting out there?" He asked sitting across from her, after he'd given her the tea to sip. "I don't know since it got dark, I snuck in the back door when the janitor took out the trash." "These guys you're running from, when did they come after you?" Bobby asked expecting her to say the day before. "It's been a couple of weeks ago. I've been hiding, hoping if I disappeared they would forget about me." She told him. "Sara you should have come to me right away. There's no need for you to hide on the streets like that. Not when I'm here to help you." "I wasn't sure. You and Darien stopped coming to see me. I thought you forgot." She sipped her tea, her eyes huge as she studied his face. Bobby hadn't been to see her in months, they had gotten busy, that was no excuse. Sara was a friend, you made time for friends. "I'm sorry, but I want to help. Are you hungry? Have you eaten recently?" "It's been awhile." She admitted. "I'll make you something how about eggs?" Bobby moved into his kitchen, he always had eggs and cheese. He thought he had a few other things he could put into an omelet. "Anything I'm not picky." Sara smiled and turned to watch him from the couch. She'd gone ga-ga over Darien back when she'd first met the partners. But after knowing them for a few days, she wasn't sure who was her favorite. Bobby was older, and he was the more experienced of the two, at least in his job. He was protective of her even when he wasn't working on all cylinders after he hit his head. Then she'd disappeared and they had to hunt all over the city to find her. Bobby had been so upset about what had been done to her, he'd nearly lost his temper with the Doctor. Not that Darien wasn't angry, he just kept his cool. Claire told her they checked on her every day. When her memory had come back, several days after the second surgery Sara was thrilled when they came to visit. She watched Bobby fixing her snack, he removed his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He knew what he was doing, in the kitchen, he was a better cook then most men. Sara was feeling better already, she was warm, safe and one of the hunkiest men she'd ever met was making her an omelet. After she'd eaten Bobby was putting things in his dishwasher. "Could I take a bath? We aren't going back out tonight?" Sara asked. "Yeah, sure did you bring any stuff with you?" Bobby was worried he didn't have much he could offer her in the way of clothes. "I stashed a bag out back, I can show you where." she moved to stand up, and Bobby jumped to her assistance. "Tell me where and I'll go get it while you clean up." Sara described in great detail where she'd hidden her stuff. "Thanks Bobby, I feel better now. You don't have to worry about me passing out." Bobby hurried to retrieve her bag from it's hiding place. He checked the area surrounding his apartment building for any signs that people were watching for her or him. But he found no one. He put the bag inside the bathroom door and closed it again. He didn't even want to think about her being naked and standing under the shower. He was much to old for Sara. Darien had hinted to him that he thought she had a thing for him, way back when they were still stopping by to see her from time to time. It was one of the reasons he'd stopped going. Now if she liked Darien that would be fine. But he was to old for her. Sara came out of the bathroom wearing jeans and a sweater that made her blue eyes that much bluer. "Thanks, it's nice to be clean again." "It's getting late, do you want to get some sleep?" Bobby asked. He hoped she was ready for bed, because he was tired. He'd had a long hard day with Fawkes and he'd only wanted a shower and his bed when he'd gotten home over an hour ago. "Could we talk for a little while? I'm kind of wound up?" Sara sat with one leg tucked up under her on the end of the couch. "Yeah want to tell me what you saw that these guys are after you for?" Bobby settled back in the chair and prepared to listen. "I was early for my meeting with Dr. Grey and Dr. Chang. So I went around to the back of the building to check on this bird feeder that was set up back there. It was meant for the patients to sit and watch the birds but who ever was supposed to refill it was always forgetting. So I was going to check it. I was behind the bushes, when these two guys pulled up in an old ambulance. I knew it was old because the door panels were panted over where the name of the hospital usually was. They unloaded a bunch of stuff from the back door and piled it into the ambulance." "How did they see you if you were in the bushes." Bobby asked. "I stood up and yelled at them to stop. They had no right to rip off the hospital." Sara explained. Bobby shook his head, she meant well but she didn't think things through sometimes. "So the one guy yelled to his friend, get her. And they ran after me, but I know the alleys in that part of town real good, so I hid from them." " But you said they waited for you and jumped you again?" Bobby wanted to make sure he understood all the details. "Yeah, I stayed away for a few weeks. I called Dr. Chang a reported in with her. But I didn't tell her why I couldn't come in. She seemed Ok, about me just calling in." Then the first time I showed up at the hospital they jumped me. I'd probably be dead now if it wasn't for Charlie." "Charlie who's that?" Bobby was puzzled. "He's the dog that lives in the parking lot next to the hospital. He guards the cars at night while his owner sleeps. He ran up and grabbed hold of one of the men when they were dragging me towards the ambulance. Charlie normally doesn't leave his lot, but I feed him sometimes so I guess he thought he should help me get away." Bobby was shaking his head again, only Sara would befriend a viscous dog because he looked hungry. "So you got away from these guys and hid out?" "Yeah, I stayed with a friend for a few days but I didn't want to put her and her little girl in danger. That was when I decided to try and find you." Sara yawned. "You can stay here with me until we figure out what's going on and put those guys behind bars. I think you should get some sleep, now." "I am getting tired now." She nodded. "You take the bedroom. I'll be fine out here on the couch." "I don't want to throw you out of your bed Bobby." She protested. "You aren't I am, now go on go to bed." "Thank you Bobby. Goodnight." "Sleep well." Sara was sitting in the passenger seat of the van when Bobby stopped to pick up his partner. "Hey Partner what do you say we stop by that bakery on Sixth? Whoa Sara is that you?" Darien looked through the open window. "Hi Darien long time since I've seen you." She grinned at him. "Hop in buddy. I'll explain on the way to work." Bobby nodded towards the side door. Darien slid into the jump seat slightly behind the front two seats. "It's good to see you Sara. I hope you aren't in trouble?" "Sorry, but I sort of am. I saw two guys stealing a bunch of stuff from the hospital and now they want to keep me quiet." Sara had turned sideways to look at Darien. He was even better looking than that first time she'd met him. His hair wasn't so out of control, and he looked rested. "I told her we'd look into it." Bobby informed his partner. "Yeah, sure we can't let anything bad happen to our favorite roommate." Darien nodded. ::::::::::::::::::: "Claire you remember Sara right?" Bobby opened the door to the Keep and ushered her inside. "Yes, of course. Hello Sara how are you?" Claire smiled and stood up from her place at her computer. "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you when you're working." "Nonsense you're welcome to visit anytime." Claire looked at Bobby questioning why Sara was there. "Sara needs our help, she saw a crime being committed and now the guys are after her." "I see and you want to leave her here with me while you look into things?" "Yeah, we have a case to work on this morning. Then we are going to stop by the hospital and check into this." Bobby explained. Sara was standing next to Darien, but she was staring at Bobby. "Sara how is you job going? Do you still like working with the research team?" Darien touched her arm to gain her attention. He remembered the last time Sara had been around she'd kind of had a crush on him. "Oh, it's nice. Dr. Chen is a good boss. I report to her twice a week and keep in contact with a couple of dozen people for the program." She looked up at Darien. "Good, so before this all happened how were things otherwise?" "Fine, I have a place of my own now. I had a roommate for awhile but she just married a guy in the Navy and is living in Frisco now. You look good, what have you been doing?" She touched his arm. "Thanks, working most of the time." "You ready?" Bobby asked. "I'll see you later." Darien smiled at Sara. "Claire could use your help Sara. We'll be back later OK?" Bobby looked into her blue eyes, questioning if she was alright. "I'll be here, you two go on. We'll see you later." ::::::::::::::::: "I'm all for helping Sara out. But what happened she called you last night and asked for your help?" Darien quizzed Bobby once they were back in the van. "Yeah, sort of . She was waiting for me at my door." "She spent the night at your place?" Darien made it sound like something had gone on between them. "Yes, she slept at my place. Come on Fawkes give me credit for having some decency. Sara is too young for me. She probably would like to go home with you tonight." Bobby turned the tables on his friend. "I don't know Bobby, she was staring at you when you were talking with Claire." Darien hinted. "She needs our help. That's what I'm going to do, find out what's going on and put a stop to it." ::::::::::::::::::::::: The two partners spent the morning working a case that was already a week old. And it wasn't developing into what the Official had expected. Darien had snuck into three different buildings looking for information and hadn't found so much as a piece of paper with anything they could use. "You seem to have an awful lot of rules about woman?" Darien asked his partner half teasingly, half serious on the way back to the office. "What are you talking about?" Bobby was thinking about Sara's trouble. "You won't 'fish off the company pier' as you put it, you won't consider Sara as dating material." Darien started to list... "I don't consider Sara dating material because she's like sixteen years younger than me. Rich fat cats and Hollywood pretty boys might think seeing a lady young enough to be their daughter is cool. I don't happen to think so." Bobby sounded offended. "She's not that young you know I asked her. She's twenty six, she just looks young because she hardly uses any makeup, and her genes I guess." Darien pointed out. "If you think she needs a boyfriend go right ahead Partner. Just don't play games with her. She deserves better than that." Bobby warned. "I like her, but I think she's already got her eye on you buddy. She couldn't keep her eyes off you this morning. Even after we got to the Keep, she likes you Bobby." "I like her, but not like that. You're just playing me here aren't you? As I remember she was goofy over you the last time we are all together. Are you upset she's not reacting to your charms like then?" "No. You don't have to believe me, just notice how she acts towards you when we get back. You'll see." Darien sat back in his seat, nodding to himself he knew he wasn't seeing things. ::::::::::::::::::::: Sara was helping Claire with feeding the lab animals and weighing them. "How have you been doing?" Claire asked, "I mean besides this recent problem." "I like my job, Dr. Chen is nice to work for. I have my own apartment now." Sara said as she was petting one of Claire's lab rats. "You do? I'm sure that's wonderful having your own place. Have you met anyone?" Claire didn't get to gossip much, but she liked to if given the chance. "No, not lately. But I do kind of have it bad for someone." Sara admitted. "Oh yes? Tell me all about him." "He's wonderful, his eyes are so expressive. He's got this smile that just makes me just melt. He's smart, kind, strong. But he doesn't think of me as a woman." Sara sighed. "Why do you say that? Has he told you something that makes you think that?" Claire questioned. She was excited to hear Sara was in love. "Yeah, he calls me kid all the time. I mean he's nice to me. Listens when I talk with him, but I can tell he doesn't consider me dating material." "Then we'll just have to give him a reason to change his opinion." Claire stated. She returned the rat to it's cage. "Do you really like him? Do you want to attract his attention?" "Yes. What should I do?" Sara looked all hopeful. "How often do you see him?" "Not very often, his job keeps him real busy." "The next time you do see him, you are going to have to let him know you are interested. Do you know if he's married or anything?" "No, he's not married. I don't know if he has a steady lady in his life." Sara sighed again, thinking about Bobby. "I know quite a few of the people over at the hospital who is it that you like?" "I don't know if I should tell you. You won't want to help me." "Don't be silly, of course I will. Who is it?" Claire prodded. "Bobby." Big sigh. "Oh, oh......I see. Are you sure Sara? I know he is very sweet, put there are reasons you don't know about that would make becoming closer to him difficult." "You mean like his medical history? He's a little crazy, I know I read his chart when he was my roommate. I know I shouldn't have, but I did and it doesn't matter to me. What matters is how he treats me." "Do you really understand how possessive he could become with you if he returns your affection? He's better than he was, but he still has issues." Claire wanted her to understand what she was getting into. "I like Bobby, I'm in love with him. How can I let him know with out just blurting it out?" Sara asked, she was very serious. Claire nodded, there was a lot about Bobby to like, especially if you had been hurt in the past. Bobby was the perverbible knight to the rescue kind of man. Honor, strength, and kindness, especially with women. She was going to have to feel him out on the subject of Sara when she had a chance. "Alright I think first you should be honest with him. There is a difference in your ages, that may be why he doesn't pick up on your feelings." "I'm not that young, I know I look like I'm still in high school, but I'm twenty six. I can prove it if you want." Sara reached for the bag she's carried into the Keep. "No, you don't have to prove your age to me Sara. It's Bobby we are going to have to convince." ::::::::::::::::::::::: "Hey, guys where are you?" Bobby entered the Keep behind Darien and was surprised to find it empty. "I didn't think Claire ever left the Keep unless she was in the Official's office." Darien took a seat. "I hope they didn't go far, we can't spend all afternoon looking into Sara's problem." Bobby checked the back of the lab, looking for the two women. "Oh, Hello." Claire opened the door, "I didn't expect you back so soon." "Hi, where's Sara?" Darien asked before Bobby could. "She's coming. Bobby could I have a word with you before." Claire grabbed his arm and steered him towards the back of the lab. Darien looked confused as he watched her leading Bobby off. "What's the matter? Has Sara wrecked one of your experiments?" Bobby asked not sure what the problem was now. "No, no she's very capable. I'd like her assistance on a regular basis if the Agency would hire her. No, I need ask you something very personal and we don't have much time." Claire was looking into Bobby's eyes, as she spoke. "Ok, ask." "Were you aware that Sara has a crush on you?" "No, you sound just like Fawkes. She needs my help, our help, we are kind of friends that's all." Bobby protested. "I'm telling you Bobby she told me word for word she cares very much for you. But is afraid to tell you. I believe she's been hurt in the past." "She said that she likes me?" Bobby rubbed a hand over his face, he'd thought he'd picked up on it the night before, but had disregarded the feeling. "Yes. Please go easy with her Bobby." Claire thought she'd already over stepped the bounds of their relationship. "Ok, thanks. I will." Bobby tried to think fast. How was he going to let her down, with out hurting her feelings? Sara entered the Keep after buzzing. Darien slid his card key for her to enter. She looked different, she was wearing a little makeup and she was carrying her self more confidently. "Hi, is it time to go to the hospital now?" She smiled at Bobby. "Hey. You look nice, what were you girls up to this morning?" Darien asked. "Just a little girl talk." Claire moved to stand beside Darien. "Hi, yeah we need to go over there and see if we can talk to that guy you mentioned." Bobby noticed the change in Sara, it made him more uneasy. "What's going on?" Darien whispered to Claire. "I'll tell you later." :::::::::::::::::::: "So this guy Bodie, he know's one of the guys you saw stealing the stuff?" Bobby questioned Sara on the drive over to the hospital. "Yeah, he's an orderly and I think the guy is too." Sara nodded. "It's a big hospital we'll have to check with someone to find out what floor he's assigned." Bobby stated as he pulled in to the parking lot. "There's usually empty places over near the hedge." Sara pointed, "I think because Charlie barks at you when you park there." "Charlie? You're on a first name basis with the guard dog?" Darien asked. "He's sweet he's just doing his job. He keeps people out of his area." Sara replied. she dug into her bag and pulled out a beef jerky for the dog. "You're going to feed him?" Bobby asked. "Sure I always give him something when I come to the hospital." Darien and Bobby watched as she moved towards the fence, Charlie was barking until he saw it was Sara, then he started to whine and rub against the fence. "Hi Charlie, how are you doin' today?" Sara stuck her hand through the chain link fence and patted his chest. He whined deeper and closed his eyes as she petted him. Darien was grinning, "Sara sure is somethin'. She tames wild animals and makes friends with just about everybody." Bobby nodded, but looked worried. "I'll see you later Charlie. I have to go now, here's your jerky." She passed the treat through the fence but he didn't take it and eat it until she stopped petting him. Bobby waited for her to lead the way. Darien followed up behind Bobby. "We need to speak with the head nurse I think. She's in charge of the orderlies." Sara lead them to the second floor nurses station. "Federal Agents ma'am I'd like to speak with the head nurse on duty." Bobby flashed his badge. "Yes, sir. I'll page her for you." The nurse didn't look impressed by Bobby's badge, but when she spotted Darien she smiled. "May I help you gentlemen?" A middle aged black woman approached the three a few minutes later. "Yes ma'am Agent Hobbes. I understand you have a employee that goes by the name Bodie. Is he working today?" "Yes, I just sent him to the third floor to help with the laundry trolly. Is he in some kind of trouble?" "No ma'am but a friend of his could be. We just want to talk to him." Bobby thanked her and they all headed towards the elevators. "Want me to act as back up?" Darien asked when the elevator doors closed. "It might not hurt." Bobby nodded. "Brodie is easy to spot, he's got a mostly shaved head, a pierced eye brow and a big tattoo of a panther on his arm." Sara added. "See you later." Darien went invisible as the doors began to open. Sara waited a second then exited the elevator. She turned towards the back hallway and as soon as they turned the corner spotted Brodie with another orderly. "That's him." "I'll take it from here, he might not want to talk to us if he's in on this." Bobby moved forward. "Brodie I'd like to talk to you for a minute." Bobby moved in close to the suspect. "So talk I'm working." He scowled at Bobby. "Federal Agent mister, so I suggest you make it easy on yourself and answer my questions." Bobby growled back. "Sure yeah, what ever." Brodie mummbled, then dropped the arm full of towels he was holding and ran towards the exit door. He was stopped by Darien, grabbing him by the waist band and holding him. "Hey, man let go!" "Like I said, if you co-operate it will be easier." Bobby was a step behind him, a hand on his collar. They took him into a empty room and found out that the one guy who had been in on the job, was Jason Hilliard. He worked night shift most of the time. "Now Brodie I'm sure you aren't friends with this Jason guy, you just know him. So if we let you go back to work we don't have to worry about you running to the nearest phone and warning him we are looking for him right?" Bobby worked his best mean SOB persona on him. "No, man he's nothing to me. I don't owe him nothin'. Not when it comes to doin' hard time." Brodie shook his head. "Good, good you go back to work and keep your mouth shut." Bobby released his hold on the young man's shirt. "Wow, that was cool. You guys can act all tough and stuff when you have to." Sara was grinning. "It's not an act." Bobby said hoping to put her off. "He's a cream puff, he just likes to play good cop, bad cop. Only this time we didn't have to." Darien shrugged. They checked back with the head nurse and learned that Hilliard wasn't due to report for work until the next evening. "I guess you're going to have to put up with me for one more night." Sara commented once they were back in the van. She didn't sound unhappy about it. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "Have you decide how you are going to handle this?" Claire asked Bobby the next day. "Yeah, I'm going to give her what she wants. I explained to her about my medication and my job and everything and she says it doesn't matter." "Bobby you know you'll just end up hurting her. Telling her and living through it are entirely different." Claire huffed, she couldn't believe he was going to lead Sara on. "I know, but I'm going to hurt her either way. If I tell her to go away now, if I let her learn for herself it's impossible." He swallowed. "You'll be hurt again too. Can you take it again?" Claire was there for some of the distress he'd lived through when Vivian had left him. She knew how hard it had been for him to lose the woman he loved. "I'll have to. Maybe for a little while I can make her happy. She deserves to be happy. I could go back to taking the stronger meds. Then I wouldn't get so manic about things." Bobby added. Knowing it would endanger his and Darien's life if he was so doped up he couldn't trust his instincts. "You could, but you won't risk Darien's life that way. You know it and I know it." Claire touched his arm. She wished she could help, she'd thought about telling Sara it just wouldn't work out. But it wasn't really her business. "At the beginning it can be so good Claire. I'm who she wants, I know how to treat her right. It will take a few months before I get to the point that I can't go an hour without checking on her. Until then it can be so good." He repeated. :::::::::::::::::::: Bobby had warned Sara, he'd insisted she hear how it had gone between him and his ex wife. She wanted to move in with him, but he knew that would only hurry things along. "No, if we are going to start seeing each other, dating. Then I'm going to do it right. There's no rush, we need to get to know one another better." Bobby wouldn't budge on this point. Sara was eager for them to spend the night together. But she went along with his plan, they dated for several weeks. Kissing and holding each other but nothing more. Bobby wanted her to be very sure before they slept together. It wasn't until eight weeks had gone by, that she finally insisted. "Bobby I love you so much, please make love with me." "I love you too sweetheart, but if we do there's no going back." "I don't care." she reached to kiss him. Her arms wrapping around his neck, her mouth opening against his, urging him to return the kiss. They made love for the first time. It was all and more she'd dreamed it would be. Bobby was magnificent as she'd known he would be, she snuggled into his side and inhaled. "I can cuddle with you now, you don't mind?" "I'd be insulted if you didn't want to." Bobby chuckled. He was very happy, but it was the last step, things would start now that he was helpless to prevent. He stroked a hand over her back, as she rested her head on his shoulder and chest. "I love you Bobby, nothing is ever going to change that." Sara promised and kissed the middle of his chest. "I know you do, I love you too." Bobby sighed and tried not to worry about the future. For the first six weeks after they made love. Bobby was possessive, it was manageable. Then he couldn't get hold of her one afternoon during his lunch break. He panicked rushing to her apartment and breaking in with Darien's help. She wasn't there he called her cell phone and it didn't answer. "Bobby get hold of yourself, I've seen you take fire from six guys and not lose your cool. I'm sure Sara is alright, she's just forgotten her phone or something." Darien had hold of Bobby's arms, looking intently into his eyes, trying to make contact with his partner's panic stricken mind. "You can't be sure, something could have happened." Bobby tried to free himself from Darien's grasp. "No, I can't be, but you aren't helping her by panicking. Think where would she be today? Is this the day she goes down to the settlement area and talks with people?" "Yeah, yeah maybe she's there." Bobby n