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Bobby sat motionless in the car. Alex waited for his answer.



"Please," she thought. "Say yes...I don't know what else I can do or say to convince you...please, Bobby."



Bobby's mind buzzed. "She's seen the worst of you..." he thought. "She's seen your worst fears...she knows your weaknesses...and she still wants you...everything in you wants her...needs her..."



He looked at Alex. "Ok," he said softly.



In the elevator Bobby turned to Alex. "I do want you to have this, Alex." He held the medal to her. "It's not that I don't value it--it's because I value it that I want you..."



Alex took the box from his hand. "Thank you," she said. The elevator door opened, Alex took Bobby's unbandaged hand in hers, and led him to her door. He stood quietly as she unlocked and opened it and followed her in.



"Make yourself comfortable," she said disappearing into the small kitchen.



Bobby was not entirely unfamilar with Alex's apartment. The living room was bright and cheery; her desk was an organized chaos of papers and books. Photos of her family, her friends, and pets dotted her walls. Her bookcases, although not as numerous as his, carried an equally eclectic range of material. Her tastes, Bobby noted, leaned more to history and biography than his, and there were several well thumbed computer manuals. "No wonder she handles a mouse better than me," Bobby thought.



"I'm starving," Alex emerged from the kitchen. "And I don't want to cook. What do you want to order?"



Bobby felt a stab of shame--Alex had had only that paltry cinnamon roll--and then a stab of hunger.



"Oh, Alex, I'm sorry...I should have stopped."



"Well, you're paying for this, Bobby, and it's not coming off the margarita debt." She stood decisively before him. "There's a very good Chinese place close by--they're fast."



Bobby smiled. "Crab rangoon? And almond cookies?"



Alex made a face. "You know I don't like crab rangoon." Her face brightened. "But I do know the

almond cookies are excellent."



They shared a beer--neither wanted to chance more on their empty stomachs--until the food arrived. Both were ravenous and they ate quietly.



"So, I take it you liked the rangoon," Alex said.



"Oh, a little--they were as good as the cookies."



Alex grinned. "A little--you inhaled those."



Alex began picking up the leftovers; Bobby rose to help her. "It's ok...I've got it," she said. He sat back down, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Alex knelt in front of him. She took his bandaged hand and unwrapped it.



"Not too bad," she said, and then she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his bruised palm.



"This is it," Bobby thought to himself. "Let go, Goren, let go...you know she's right...this is more than friendship or partnership or...love...all of that's part of it...but you're soulmates."



Bobby raised his hands and took Alex's face gently in his hands. He leaned forward and kissed her, and again Alex felt as if every other kiss in her life had been preparation for this one. Bobby's thumbs gently stroked her face and he kissed her again. This time he gently pushed his tongue into her mouth, and she opened her lips to him. He pulled back and wrapped his arms around her. She responded by putting her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder.



"Alex," he breathed her name.



"Bobby," she responded.



"I...didn't bring... any...protection."



She pulled back to look at him. "It's considerate of you to worry, but that's covered."



He stared at her. "Alex...it's been...it's been a while since I've...since I've done this..."



Alex studied him. "Really...what about the bathroom gossip and gaffiti?"



Bobby blushed. "The bathroom needs cleaned...the gossip is old. There was a time...but...well, I

just..." He was fumbling, and Alex thought he was sweet.



Alex smiled at him. "I haven't been busy myself recently in that area. This may be a little

awkard...we don't have those teenage hormones to drive us past the embarrassment."



She stood up and took Bobby's hand. She led him to her bedroom, and gently pushed him to sit on the bed. Bobby lowered his eyes, reached down and took off his shoes and socks. Alex kicked off her shoes and socks and stood before him. She took his chin in her hand and raised his head. "Do you," she said, "want me to lead?" Grateful, he nodded yes. Alex sat beside him on

the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. She helped him slide it off and pull off his t-shirt.



Bobby saw Alex grimace at the sight of the fading bruises and lashes on his back and a wave of shame rolled over him. Alex took his head in her hands and kissed him. She brushed her lips against his eyes and thrilled to feel of his long eyelashes against her face. She trailed kissess around his face and down his neck. Bobby's hand came up to tangle through her hair as she kissed and licked and gently stroked the bruises and cuts.



"Please, Bobby. Stand up."



Bobby obeyed, although he didn't know how his legs managed to support his body. Alex unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and pulled down his jeans and boxers.



"Oh," she said as he stepped out of his clothes.



"Oh?" Bobby said sitting back on the bed.



"You're...I expected you to be...but..." Alex was fumbling now and Bobby's mind was too befuddled to help her. "You're big," she finally said.



Bobby stared at her and the sheer insanity of the situation hit them both at the same time. Alex fell into Bobby's arms and they both shook with laughter. Alex recovered first. She raised her head and gave Bobby a sly grin. She kissed and gently nipped his chest, moving down to his stomach. She wrapped a hand around his growing cock and was moving her lips toward it when Bobby's hands gently grasped her head.



"No...Alex...please...I...it's a wonderful thing... but not for our first time...I want...want to be inside you, around you..." Bobby was struggling, and he knew Alex had complete control over him.



Alex gently released Bobby and kissed her way back up his body. She leaned back and pulled her shirt over her head. Bobby reached up shaky hands to help her take off her bra. "Alex...so beautiful..." Bobby's voice murmered. His hands gently took her breasts in his hands and he raised his head to kiss her neck. Alex felt the balance of power shift as Bobby's hands

caressed her breasts. Her control wavered as Bobby wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head to her breasts, kissing and tenderly nipping them.



"Oh, Bobby, wonderful...good..." She was reeling and raised her hands to grasp Bobby's head. Her fingers twisted in his hair.



Bobby freed one of his hands and reached to loosen Alex's jeans. He pulled them down to her knees and then slipped the hand inside her panties.



"Bobby, oh...God.." Alex writhed in pleasure as Bobby's fingers explored her. It seemed he knew every spot to touch. She grabbed her last bit of control and held his head firmly. "Please... I want you inside me...around me..."



Bobby pulled her panties down; Alex kicked her underwear and jeans off the bed. He swiftly and tenderly turned her on her back. All Alex could see were his dark, passionate eyes. "Alex," his voice was a whisper of desire, need, and concern. "Don't let me hurt you...stop me...are you sure..."



She answered by wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him to her. Bobby slipped inside her; he desperately tried to pace himself. In a blur of passion he looked at her; she returned his gaze. Their eyes locked as he pumped into her. Alex felt an ache as he entered her---he was big--but the ache disappeared in a massive wave of pleasure. She clutched at his back and Bobby lost his battle. He pushed into her wildly. "Bobby, yes, please..."



"Alex...Alex..."



The world exploded around them. Bobby heard a voice scream his name; Alex heard another shout hers.



Alex, trembling, tried to raise her body. Bobby, also trembling, lay across her, his head resting on her left shoulder, his arm crossing her body. He turned his head to face her. His eyes were glassy and tears brimmed in them. Bobby tried to raise himself off Alex, but his arms refused to support him. Alex placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed gently--the extra strength allowed him to finally roll beside her. The tears began pouring from his eyes. Alex raised herself to a half sitting position and wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him to her breasts. There were no sobs or wails, but Bobby wept for several minutes. He stopped and looked up at Alex.



"Wow," she said softly tracing the lines of his tears with her fingers.



"I...I'm sorry..." Bobby's voice was shaky. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "It...it meant so much to me, Alex...it was so...I couldn't...deal with it."



"It was...it meant a lot to me too."



"I didn't hurt ....you? I heard you cry out..." He was terrified he might have hurt her.



"A little--very little--at first...and then..." Alex smiled at him. "It...it sounds ridiculous, but it's the best..."



"It was for me too." He took her hands in his and held them tightly.



Alex snuggled against him. Bobby wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you," he whispered into her hair.



Sleep took them both.



Alex woke to a flash of lightning and a thunder clap. She sat up; she was confused and disoriented until her mind cleared. Bobby--where was he? Had he fled? She heard a noise from the hall, and the bedroom door opened to admit a decidedly damp Bobby Goren bearing a tray with two coffee cups, two large bagels, and two roses, one yellow, one red.



"Rats," he smiled at her. "I was hoping to get back before you woke up."



She smiled back at him. "Get caught in the storm?"



"Yea." He set the tray down carefully on the table near her bed.



"Give me a minute." Alex slipped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. "Enjoy the view, Goren," she said with a toss of her head. Bobby snorted the coffee he had just sipped.



Bobby grinned at her as she came back to the bedroom. "It is," he said tilting his head, "a very nice view."



She grinned back at him as she pulled a T-shirt over her head. "No fair--you're dressed---"



"We can change that later..."



Alex smiled and picked up her coffee. She fingered the roses. "Yellow and red...?'"



Bobby answered quietly. "Well, I wasn't sure what the color for soul mate was...so I went with yellow for friendship...and red...for..." He paused.



"For what, Bobby?"



"For love."



THE END