Title: Full partnership Author: michal Author's note: this is set after the episode "food chains" when B&L fight about the equity. It's short but it's sweet... anyway that's my way of working things out (as you know I'm a B&L fanatic) enjoy! Disclaimer: DEK, you're a genius, and you get all the credit for these amazing characters!! --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10pm. Bobby walked into the office, not before looking at the new title on the door. "Donnell, Young, Dole & Frutt". It was one of the hardest things he ever had to do in his life. But now that that was over, he felt a new dilemma. This thing that tore up his heart in pieces. 'Lindsay'. He felt so bad about what happened between the two of them. He understood her motives, and he never would have imagined that she had feelings for him. Or as she put it: she was in love with him. He felt himself drowning in deep confusion. He didn't really think that she brought up the equity issue because they didn't sleep together anymore. But he sensed something different between them. And as usual he was too afraid to confront her. It was easier to just yell at each other. Or so he thought. Bobby opened the door and walked inside, looking around. It all looked the same. But it didn't feel like it. It felt like something was about to change. He then focused his stare on the first desk to his right. Lindsay's. Bobby started remembering things: the soft taste of her lips, her thoughtful look when he wanted to be with Helen, her hurtful look when he actually got together with Helen, her last devotion to him when they last made love, and what he most remembered: her eyes shining back at him when she admitted that she missed him. Bobby went to his office, hoping to bury himself deep in work. When he entered his office he realized he couldn't run from it. He saw Lindsay sitting on his couch, leaning back looking at the sealing with a bottle of beer in her hand. She didn't notice him when he looked at her, not understanding why his palpitations quickened a bit. He walked over to sit next to her, leaning back too. "Hey" he finally said. Lindsay's head gently turned to him. "Hey, what's up?" "Nothing much" "I guess you have some work to do, so I'll be leaving" she wanted to get up but Bobby put his hand on hers and then quickly removed it when she looked at him "No... stay. I could use the company" she sat back peacefully, yet feeling a bit of tension in the air. Lindsay handed him the beer bottle and he took a sip. "I'm sorry, Bobby" "For what?" he looked at her, half knowing the answer. " For everything that has happened the last few days...I never meant for it to get ugly, y'know?" "Yeah, I know... but I guess I'm the one who made it ugly." He looked at her with a reconsolidating look. Lindsay smiled a little, not knowing exactly what to say. They just sat there in silence, drinking beer. At some point Bobby turned to her when she was still leaning back. "Do you really love me?" "What?!" Lindsay was totally shocked that he even brought it up. "I'm sorry, I know that's a stupid question...but... I never thought that you..." "love you?" she now turned to him, not capable of smiling. "Yeah, it's just...you don't act like it" "Well, what did you expect me to do? Stare at you all day?" suddenly, they both burst up in laughter. "I have" Bobby stopped, so did Lindsay. "What?" "I have... stared at you. All day." She looked very serious. Bobby leaned towards her, taking the beer bottle of her hand and put it on the side. He smoothened his hand on Lindsay's cheek and entwined his fingers in her hair, moving real close, looking into her eyes. Bobby gently kissed her when she slowly raised her trembling hand to the side of his face. Their kiss gradually escalated to a more deeper kiss when Bobby lowered his hand and ran it under her blouse. He began to kiss the side of her neck when she said: "Bobby, are you sure?" He then stopped and looked closely in her eyes "More than I have ever been sure of anything" Bobby pushed her back to lay on the couch with him on top of her. Lindsay unbuttoned his shirt and gently stroked his chest. Bobby slid her blouse of her shoulders when she rasseled with his belt while kissing him tenderly on the lips...in between kisses he whispered "I missed you" then smiled. She looked at him with the sweetest smile ever "I missed you too Bobby" he stroked her cheek and gazed into her eyes when her smile widened "Now come here" Lindsay pressed her lips against his, happy to feel him close to her again... the camera zooms out of Bobby's office and the entire office to focus on the new door title: Donnell Young, Dole & Frutt Attorneys at law THE END Title: Halloween Night Author: Kristy, fbiagent_99 Author's Note: A fan fiction story based on the hit drama "The Practice" by Kristy (fbiagent_99@yahoo.com) This story was originally inspired by the season two episode "Search and Seizure", where Bobby and Helen attended a Halloween party together, and Helen grabbed his ... well you know. The image of Bobby dressed as Dracula inspired me to write this story. I also thought we needed an explanation as to how Bobby and Lindsay first got together ... and since DEK never showed us how, I thought I'd write how it may have first happened. Disclaimer: The Practice and the characters used in this story do not belong to me. No profit was made off this story; no copyright infringement intended. --------------------------------------------------------------------- It's October 31st, Halloween night, and a couple of the lawyers from the practice get involved in some serious trick or treating. --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Come on Lindsay, come to this party with me." Bobby Donnell had been trying the whole day to get his colleague Lindsay Dole to come to a Halloween party with him. A lawyer buddy of his had roped him into going, and he didn't want to show up alone. Sure, he could have found someone to go along with him, some bimbo, but there was only one woman who he really wanted to go with. "Sorry Bobby, I've got a heap of work to do." Lindsay was saying that, but her mind was thinking something else. The look on Bobby's face right now made her want to accept any offer he gave her, but she just couldn't go with him. She had lately been having some very improper thoughts about her colleague, and she didn't think spending a night with him dressed in a Halloween costume would help to extinguish those feelings she was having. "Alright Lindsay, you don't want to come and have some fun. Fine by me. But it's your loss." He gave her a sad puppy dog look and walked back into his office. He put on a brave front, but Bobby was very disappointed that Lindsay didn't want to come out with him. Lately he had begun to notice things about her that he hadn't noticed before. The way she smiled, they way she walked ... and other things he probably shouldn't be thinking about his colleague. Ten minutes later, Lindsay decided to go home. She wasn't getting any work done here, and all she could think about was Bobby. She had been a bit rude to him and wanted to apologize. She went to his office and knocked lightly, there was no answer. She opened the door and walked in. The door to Bobby's office bathroom was closed. She was about to leave when the door opened and Bobby walked out ... half-dressed. "Oh Bobby, I'm sorry." "Um, that's okay ... I was just getting ready to go." Lindsay tried to keep her eyes focused on Bobby's face, but that was kind of hard when he was standing there in a pair of black dress pants and no shirt. She had never seen him undressed in any form before, and she had to admit she liked what she saw. She shook herself out of it and looked back into those deep blue eyes of his. "So what's your costume?" "If you agree to come to the party with me, I might tell you." "Bobby..." "Come on Lindsay, I don't want to go by myself. All those boring lawyers." "Bobby, we're lawyers." He flashed her one of his million-dollar smiles and that was it. Her defenses had been shattered. It wouldn't hurt to go to a party together, have a few drinks a few laughs, some dancing ... it was sounding better and better the more she thought about it actually. "Alright Bobby, you win. I'll come." "Great." "So now will you tell me what you're going as?" "Nope." "Bobby!" "It's a surprise." Lindsay turned to walk out of the office and then remembered something. She turned back to look at Bobby. "Bobby, I don't have a costume." "Well..." "What?" "I took the liberty of hiring one for you ... on the slim chance that I was actually able to convince you to come along." Bobby smiled again and retrieved a costume off the back of his couch. He handed it to Lindsay. "You don't honestly expect me to wear this!" "Come on Lindsay, where's your Halloween spirit?" He smiled again. Damn him, thought Lindsay. How the hell was she supposed to resist him when he was standing there shirtless with a gorgeous grin plastered on his face? "Alright. What time are you picking me up?" "In an hour." "Fine. I'll see you then." Lindsay turned and walked out of his office back to her desk. She sat down to find Ellenor Frutt staring at her. "What!" "Whoa, calm down. I was just checking out your costume." "Bobby picked it out, okay." "I'm sure you'll look great." Lindsay grabbed her coat and stormed out of the office. Ellenor just smiled to herself and returned back to the case file she was working on. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 HOUR LATER ... LINDSAY'S APARTMENT Lindsay stood looking at herself in the full-length mirror. She had to admit that Bobby had picked out a rather nice costume for her. She heard a knock at the door and looked through the peephole. It was Bobby, well, she thought it was. She opened the door. "Ready to go, Catwoman?" "As I'll ever be, Batman." Lindsay looked at Bobby and decided that he looked absolutely delectable. He was wearing a full Batman suit, complete with the cowl and cape. He looked hot. Bobby was thinking the same thing about Lindsay. He was really glad the salesgirl at the costume shop had convinced him that it was the best costume to get for his date. Not that Lindsay was his date ... this was two friends going to a party together. "Bobby?" Bobby realized he had been staring at Lindsay for a bit too long. He shook his head and looked back up at her face. She really did look cute. "Sorry Lindsay. Let's go." Lindsay grabbed her trench coat and slid it on, disappointing Bobby just a bit. He was rather enjoying the view. He held the door open for her and then followed her out, closing it behind him. This was going to be one very interesting evening. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 MINUTES LATER SOMEWHERE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON Bobby and Lindsay had made a rather grand entrance to the Halloween party. Both were wearing their masks so the rest of the partygoers spent the next half an hour trying to figure out who the couple were. "Bobby Donnell, is that you?" Bobby looked up and was surprised to see Judge Zoey Hiller looking back at him. She was dressed as a witch ... some people may see that as being appropriate he thought to himself. "Judge Hiller, I didn't expect to see you here tonight. This is my colleague Lindsay Dole." Hiller extended her hand, which Lindsay accepted with a smile. "Nice to meet you Your Honor." "Same to you, Ms. Dole. I look forward to seeing you in my courtroom one day." "I look forward to it also." Judge Hiller nodded and smiled at Bobby and went to chat to an older man who resembled Robin Hood. Bobby turned to Lindsay. "Having fun?" "I have to admit it's not as bad as I imagined." "Would you like to dance?" "Sure." He extended his gloved hand and she placed her gloved hand into his. He guided her onto the makeshift dance floor where several other couples were dancing already to the music. Just as they began to dance, a slower song came on. The couple next to them came together in each other's arms and began to slowly move to the music. Bobby slid an arm around Lindsay's waist and pulled her close to him, moving in time to the soft ballad. Lindsay relaxed in his embrace, laying her head on his chest as they danced. "Lindsay..." She pulled her head back and looked up at his face. She could see his eyes through his mask, and the look he was giving her both excited and scared her. "Um, I think I need a drink." She broke free from his embrace and left him standing there alone on the dance floor. He couldn't move, didn't know what to do. It felt so right when they were dancing, why did she pull away like that? He decided he had to go after her. He wandered around for ten minutes, but couldn't find her anywhere. He saw Judge Hiller across the room, and made his way over to her. "Excuse me Judge, have you seen Lindsay?" "Who?" "My colleague Lindsay Dole ... Catwoman?" "Oh, yes I saw her leaving a few moments ago." "Thank you." Bobby grabbed his own jacket and left the party, heading for Lindsay's apartment. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 MINUTES LATER ... LINDSAY'S APARTMENT Lindsay sat on the couch in her apartment in silence. She had known this was going to happen. That's why she didn't want to go to the party in the first place. She had feelings for Bobby, she always had, but she had always accepted that he could never feel the same. But tonight, the look she saw in his eyes had scared her. She saw desire ... desire for her. (Knock, knock) "Lindsay, its Bobby. Can I come in?" Lindsay stood and walked to the door. She had changed out of her costume and was wearing a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt, not the most glamorous look. She opened the door and saw Bobby standing there still in his costume. He had removed the cowl and cape though, so she could see his face. "Can I come in?" "Sure." She stood aside and allowed him to enter her apartment, closing the door behind them. She walked over to the couch and sat down. "Um Lindsay, do you mind if I take this thing off?" "Go ahead." It took Bobby several minutes to remove the heavy costume, leaving him seated next to Lindsay on the couch in a pair of black dress pants and a white shirt. "We need to talk, Lindsay." "I know. I'm sorry I ran out on you back there. I was just afraid that's all." "Afraid of what? Afraid of me?" "No, of course not. It's just that ... when we were dancing, it felt so good, and it scared me." "Why?" "Because I am tired of being lonely. And when you asked me out tonight, I was worried that if I came, then something might happen." "Would it be so bad if something happened?" "I don't know. Bobby, we work together. We are colleagues. I can't let something happen just because I am lonely and want a man." She realized how that sounded and laughed quietly to herself. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I am lonely. But I don't want to let myself..." "Lindsay look at me." "No." "Lindsay..." She had been staring at her white carpet, but managed to look back into his eyes. She once again saw that desire. "Lindsay, I'm tired of being lonely too." "You lonely?" "Why is that so hard to believe?" "I don't know ... I mean, have you seen you?" Bobby laughed. "Lindsay, do you know why I asked you out tonight?" "Not really, no." "Because I am lonely too. And I wanted to spend some time with you. I like you. And I'm attracted to you as well. Is that so wrong?" "No Bobby, of course it's not. I'm attracted to you too. It's just that I was afraid to let anything happen." Bobby slid over closer to Lindsay on the couch. He smiled and she smiled back. He leant down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. He repeated the gesture and the kiss turned more passionate. After a few moments Lindsay pulled back. "Bobby, I don't know..." "Lindsay aren't you tired of being alone at night?" "Yes." "So am I." Lindsay looked at Bobby. He looked so cute and vulnerable sitting there on her couch. She smiled. "I've got a proposition for you, Mr. Donnell." "Mmm, sounds interesting, Ms. Dole." "After hours, we can do this ... but during the day it is business as usual. And if either of us ever meets someone who can offer a serious relationship, we end it. Agreed?" "Agreed." She smiled again and slid back into his arms. This was one Halloween that neither one of them would ever forget. THE END ... HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED IT! ---------------------------------------------------------------------