While I continue to ponder over #5, here's #6 for those of you who are ready:

"Just pretend I'm not here."

Hello, everyone. This is my contribution to this prompt and a little different take on things. I have so enjoyed reading everyone's stories and perceptions of our hero. You all add a different facet to his personality.

She asked to meet with him. He didn't know why, but he agreed to anyway. He waited at the coffee shop, the one she had created for him to meet Sarah. He sat at the counter, alternately fidgeting with his hands and looking at his watch. Finally, she came in, DetectiveC, one of his many writers. He recognized her, because they had once conducted a witness interview together.

She approached him with a smile, "Good morning, Robert. How are you today?"

"Fine, I hope. You need to tell me," he responded, looking at her almost apprehensively.

"I would like to think you are having a good day," she said.

"I don't know what kind of day I'm having most of the time between my real writers and all of you fan writers," he began. "I mean, I have a harem of women, enough children to start my own school, and my emotions are all over the board. I'm beginning to think that I need to go to Carmel Ridge." He gave her a sly smile.

She placed her hand on his forearm and looked at him sympathetically.

"It must be difficult to be all things to all people," she said.

He nodded his head in agreement. "It's a lot of pressure," he confessed.

"I have no doubt, but you know that's the beauty of you, you can be all things to all people. You're a much loved character. Your real writers have created a well rounded man, with a great deal of depth. It allows your fans to get to know you and create. From what I've read, I believe your fan writers have only your best interests in mind."

He looked at her thoughtfully, and then a smile spread across his face.

"You know, I think you may be right. I have to say, my life is an adventure." He punctuated his last sentence with a low chuckle. "So . . . why did you want to meet with me?" he asked, tilting his head just a little to the right.

"I've come to say goodbye for awhile. My real life is requiring more of my attention, so I need to go, but you'll be alright. If you have a difficult time in one story or string of episodes, know that someone will give you joy, maybe even in the next chapter. My advice to you would be to take it as it comes, enjoy your writers' efforts, and just pretend we're not here."

She reached over and gave him a hug.

"Goodbye, Robert, and thank you for inviting us to be a part of your life," she said.

"Goodbye, DetectiveC. I'm looking forward to what the days will bring."

"I'm glad to here it."

They exchanged one more smile, as she turned to go, leaving Robert in the care of his many writers.



I will check back from time to time, but as I said, my real life is requiring more of my time right now. Be creative and have fun!

-- DetectiveC

DetectiveC - what a beautiful, insightful way to bid us farewell. Hopefully, it's just temporary and you can visit when time allows. Good luck with real life and best wishes to you.

Good luck to you, DetectiveC. We'll miss you and hope time will be freed up for you soon. That was a great story, a sweet way to say so long for now. Take care.

We'll miss you, Detective C... and so will Robert. Take care and stop in to say hi now and then when you have time.

Hugs.

I had a little trouble with this one, but here goes!
***********************************
“The results from the autopsies are in, want to come with me?” Eames asked her partner.

“Uh… you go. I’m waiting for the ballistics report. I’ll catch up later,” Goren replied.

Alex Eames was once again ready to ask him if he was sure, but she grudgingly stood, gathered her notes and headed for the elevator.

Medical examiner Elizabeth Rodgers, acknowledged Detective Eames with a nod.

“What do we have?” Eames asked.

Suddenly the door opened and Detective Goren walked in, ballistics report in hand. He immediately walked to the table where the male victim lay. He lifted the right hand, then the left. He walked around to the end of the table and looked at the feet of the victim. He made a note in his notebook. He then turned his attention to the female victim.

Swallowing hard, Rodgers asked, “Can I help you detective?”

“No. Go on, I’m curious to what you found.”

“It seems our couple was intimate…about an hour or so before they… were shot. The female victim was, uh… pregnant. I’ll have to uh, refer, uh back to my notes. I’m sorry, but this is really just a preliminary exam,” Rodgers explained.

“Really, I was under the impression the autopsy was final. Am I bothering you? If so, just pretend I’m not here,” Goren replied.

Nice snippet of life in 1PP, Peyton! I've always gotten the feeling it irritates the crap out of Rodgers when Goren starts poking around her bodies. The only reason she puts up with it at all is because she respects his abilities as a detective.

Nicely done!

DetectiveC - Nice story and sad. Hope RL gets easier and you can come back. Nice story to tell it though.

Peyton - Loved your story too. The end was nice.

I love reading the challenges, you all come up with some great stuff. I wish I could write a story, I have
great ideas, but when it comes to laying out details, forget it. Although with this challenge a story comes to
mind, but it can't be printed here.

Peyton -- I had the same thought! hee hee Good job with it. Maybe I can come up with something different. The monkeys never did it for me....

DetectiveC -- hope RL eases up and you can come back soon. Love how you did it. Great twist on the prompt and nicely done.

That was nice DetectiveC. Good luck with whatever life throws at you.

DetectiveC--this was a great way to say goodbye. I hope you can join us again soon as we all vie to through complications at Bobby, and then comfort him.

Peyton--I loved this interaction between Bobby and Rodgers. So true to both of them!

Author's Note: Bailey Flanigan is an original character created by me in my fics Haven for a Heart and Shattered Haven. She is currently engaged to marry Mike Logan as the folks who have read are aware.
I'm taking the liberty of using her for this challenge. Thank you.

Just something a little fun for the ladies who have been so kind about my stories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bailey walked into the apartment and tossed her keys on the kitchen counter. It had been a long, stressful day at work and she longed for a hot soak in the tub and time to relax before her daughter Molly came home from playing with the neighbor children. She knew that she should start dinner, but the bath tub was calling her name.

Walking into the bedroom, she kicked off her shoes and moved into the bathroom. Running the water, she adjusted the temperature and added just the right amount of scented oil to the water before returning to the bedroom. She twisted her hair and pinned it on top of her head before she began undressing.

Her shirt and dress pants hit the floor before she removed her underwear. Naked, she turned to return to the bathroom, only to find Mike Logan standing in the bedroom doorway watching her. When she grabbed for a robe, Mike shook his head as he assured her:

"No need to dress on my account - just pretend I'm not here..."

::KA-----THUDD::

Now that I've recovered, somewhat, I just want to say that I really hope this finds it's way into the next story about Mike and Bailey.

Oh, did I mention that I loved it? I can SO hear Mike's voice.....uh oh.....::THUD::

Nice moment, Judy. Why do I have a feeling Bailey might end up with company in that bath...

Thanks, ciaddict - I was really nervous to post in the challenge since everyone else is so much better at it, but this story had been having fun in my head since I read InfinityStar's challenge.

I think I might be able to expand on this scene in the next story, I'm sure Mike wouldn't object.



Thank you - again, I'm sure Mike wouldn't object...

Judy, Holy crap and OMG, WTH. Too many abbreviations? Sorry but I have to agree with ciaddict on this one. ::THUD:: I wanna be Bailey in this story. Can I, can I, can I??? Oh yeah, ::THUD:: This was sooo amazing. Great, great job on this little challenge fic.

I'm a little confused, cifan - did you like it?

::KA ---- THUDD!!! onto floor next to ciaddict:: ITA with pfc, cifan and ciaddict......::grabs ice bucket and sticks head into it:: And I'd even been warned you had posted this here.......

Now, what can you do with Bobby and Charli and this challenge?

Author's Note: Charli Donovan Goren is a character from my fanfics Haven for a Heart and Shattered Haven. She is married to Bobby and they are the proud parents of twins - Jacob and Emma Goren.

Flashymom - this one's for you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She stood in the kitchen doorway, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. The twins sat in their bouncers on the kitchen table giggling delightedly at the sight before them.

The gentle giant danced around the kitchen to a song playing on the radio as he sang along completely out of tune. Despite his size, his movements were graceful as he twirled to the twins' growing amusement and their belly laughs fought to drown out the radio.

Spinning around, Bobby came to a standstill as he saw Charli watching him with green eyes full of love and laughter.

"Don't stop ... just pretend I'm not here," she laughed aloud.

Rather than being embarrassed, Bobby simply smiled and drew her into his arms, inviting her to join his fun.

I love it! Bobby singing (out of tune, no less!) and dancing to amuse his babies. Just beautiful.

::flashymom squeals with delight::

I LOVE IT!!!

Thank you, Judy! This was wonderful and perfect. Thank you so much!

Um....heck yes.

And the 2nd one is so terrific. Great job with it too. Ah, to be dancing with Bobby. ::sigh:: and ::THUD::

Judyg - those are so GREAT. Lovely moments of family life (well almost in Mike´s case)

Peyton - wonderful work

Where's your story, Evelyn? It doesn't even have to have LOCI characters in it, just be off the challenge hint......Give it a try, it's fun!

Ohhh, that´s very cute appeal to join your game.
Honestly I´ve tried to make something up, but i need some time to adjust it to readable form I tought this one would be easy, but it´s not. Maybe later.

19.10.2008: Well, this is my try. The more I read it the more it seems not that funny as it should be. Next time I´ll rather stay with reading of yours pieces. Please forgive the mistakes.


Rodgers was bent over the counter. Saleswoman had just unpacked another piece from expensively looking dark blue box with silver writing. Now they both were admiring the delicate silk with subtly placed laces. There were more pieces already unpacked on the counter.
Ross asked her today to go together to the ceremony, where the best cops will be awarded. She would go there anyway, but with Ross ... she will enjoy the evening much better.
She just wanted to buy something new for that event. And Ross not knowing what that „something new“ should be, agreed to stop at the store, she used to shop at.
Rodgers raised her head to ask him, which one he would like more. But no voice came out when she looked at him.
Ross was standing in the middle of the shop, with hands cramped in pockets of his coat. He seemed to be deeply engaged in staring at the patterns on the floor, perfectly harmonizing with colours of the walls and furniture. He was trying hard not to gaze at the silky and laced bras and panties hanged all around the room. Rodgers noticed his red earlobes and discreet wishful glimpse towards the exit. ´Definitely not the first glimpse in direction ´exit´ ´, she realized.
He caught her look and she could read in his eyes as in opened book. ...“No. DON´T ask. Just pretend I´m not here“...
Rodgers couldn´t help herself as jocular grin laid on her face. „OK“, she thought, „maybe taking Ross to the lingerie shop wasn´t such a good idea“.

I love Charli!! I can almost see Bobby dancing and singing for his kids. BRAVO

She understands, really, she does.

After Joe died she went for nearly a year without it; at her lowest points she'd grimly accepted that she'd never do it again. You grow used to it, begin to hardly feel it's abscence as the second month stretches into the third... It's as if you never did it at all.

Then you do it again, and it's so wonderful, that you just want the moment to last forever.

"Oh---oh---"

"Bobby, honestly, wrap it up."

"I'm---trying---"

She barely manages to stifle a groan as she watches her partner's red face contort above her. She knows it's been years, probably, since Bobby's done it but he's starting to abuse her good graces.

"It's not that funny."

This does not have the intended effect as a fresh peal of laughter errupts from her partner. Not that she can blame him, she laughed so hard when her brother slipped on the ice and slopped cranberry sauce all over himself the Thanksgiving after Joe's death that she'd almost peed her pants.

"Oh-okay, I'm done."

"Good. Now let's interview the witness and get out of here."

As they enter the grand foyer, she does groan when she sees the massive banners hanging from the walls, dark eyes glaring down at her accusingly ---

---And Bobby's lost it again, shrieking loudly like a howler monkey and attracting stares from the passersby.

"You---you---"

"Yes, Bobby. I cut up what turned out to be a twenty thousand dollar teddy bear. When I was seven."

"Y-your face--- when you saw---and you're so---"

She sighs loudly, rolling her eyes, "I'm so what, Goren?"

" ---cheap! You just cut him up---twenty thousand dollars!"

She's resents that, just a little bit. She's not cheap, she's just--- conservative with her money. Growing up one of five kids being raised on a cop's salary teaches you that. It's not something to be ashamed of---

"Who pays twenty thousand dollars for a damn teddy bear anyway? Now will you pull yourself together?"

"Okay, okay..." His face once again becomes solemn, but only for a split second. "Go! Go, Eames... j-just pretend I'm not here--- twenty thousand dollars!"

Sighing she walks towards their witness, a nervous-looking auctioneer (although whether it's because of guilt or her partner's complete and utter breakdown is tossup), trying to ignore the chilly stares of pre-operation Steven on the posters around her.

Hearing Bobby really laugh for the first time in two and a half years might have actually been worth twenty thousand dollars though.

I'm sooo not cheap.

***///***

Yep, more of Steven-verse

Thank you all - happy to bring smiles to you.

QUAXO! I love your Steven stories - I've looked for them in every challenge.

Everyone is so talented and you all have such great imaginations to be able to bring life to a simple sentence. My pale in comparison, but it was fun playing.

Quaxo, I love the Steven saga and this one had me laughing along with Bobby. And a bit worried about just what he and Eames were doing at the beginning! Nice sleight of hand.

And Judy, yours certainly do not pale in comparison! I love these fun glimpses into Bobby/Charli and Mike/Bailey.

Love all the stories Hurry back Det. C I totally understand.


Three weeks have gone by since they invaded her apartment. At first she didn't mind, she felt it was her civil duty, also she felt safe. Who knew she lived across the street from a member of the mob and a killer. With them here she felt safe, but who knew cops were such slobs. The way they looked at her made her feel like they would attack her in her sleep, she wouldn't mind if they were cute, but the ones that they kept sending looked like Abe Vigoda from Barney Miller. The doorbell rang must be change of shift, time for the next Det. Fish, she laughed to herself. She opened the door and found herself staring into blackness, it was a black T-shirt. She slowly looked up to his smiling face. She was speechless.

"Hi, I'm Detective Robert Goren. I'm here to relieve Detective Morrison," he said.

"OK," she managed to respond. She stepped away from the door to let him in. The two detectives exchanged words and Detective Morrison left. She stood in the doorway just watching him stare out the window at the house across the street. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"No, thank you, I brought my own, I don't want to be a bother. Just pretend I'm not here," he respond.

"Fat chance of that," she said, then realized she said that out loud. She covered her mouth with her hand and blushed.

He smiled.

6 minutes till time to go to lunch. can I do it?

She walks into the living room and fiddles with some more the equipment set up there. He takes a breath to tell her it looks fine, but stops himself. It's her work, not his and he should leave her to it.

After a few more minutes she steps back, satisfied that everything is how it should be. She turns and beckons him over to her. He moves closer taking her into his arms while standing on the white fabric covering that part of the floor. She reaches up and kisses him lightly, urging him to reciprocate with the deep look in her eyes. He wants to, but finds himself distracted by the lights around them.

She sighs and begins to undress him, slowly removing his shirt, then his pants, so he stands only in his shorts now. She does the same and joins him in a state of half undress. He breathes to speak and she silences him again with the tip of her slender finger on his lips. The lights are still very bright. The sound, a small electric sound, is so loud in the absence of their voices.

She faces him and kisses him, deeply this time, as the lights flicker and the sounds repeats itself in soft rapid fire. But he stops and breaks the kiss, the embrace, distracted again by the things going on around him. She steps back and looks at him.

"Bobby," Althea says, breaking the silence, "it's not going to hurt you, it's just a camera. It's not like we're doing porn, it's art. Just pretend it's not here."

A few minutes over. See you later!

JRyan--really good! I want to know what happens during Bobby's shift--just how closely does he watch his suspect?

Janx--loved more of Althea!

Quaxo - Loved the Steven saga. Now I am always looking for them.

Jryan - Great story. Loved it.

Janx - Loved more of your Althea story. Great job on it.

I love reading all these little fics everyone.

More nice work, everybody!

I think I would be nervous like Bobby, standing half-naked with my hubby and to be kissing each other with cameras going off and lights all over? **shudders** CREEPY!!!!!

Q and JRyan -- funny!

Heh heh... Like she said it's Art. I actually had a much longer version of that scene in my head for if I ever get around to writing out their whole story. The long version explains the situation behind it much better. It really isn't supposed to be creepy at all, but I liked the idea of Bobby getting distracted because he's not used to being in the art instead of just looking at it. There's not supposed to be actual nakedness in the pictures either... Ah here I'm explaining it anyway. Basically this part was supposed to be Althea trying to get Bobby over his distraction so they can do the real art portion. Which is relavant to the development of the character too.

Oh, wow...I just realized I haven't read these since the first one from DetectiveC. I thought I'd read 'em all. Now I gotta go back and check!

Peyton: I love Bobby's interactions with Rodgers...well. okay, I wasn't to keen on what he did in Frame but I understand his anger, and kudos to her for blowing it off..anyway, this was great. I love her distracted way of trying to talk while he is doing his thing. LOL He's great in the morgue :-)

judy: I started to read Haven for A Heart when you first put it up on FFN back in the spring, but I don't think I had a chance to review it (did I? I'll have to check) I don't think I completed much in the way of longer stories because that's when Katie's kidney began to fail for good. I do remember that I loved Charli and I loved her and Bobby together. I truly appreciate a well-written woman for him; for a long time there weren't too many of those around, but the good writers here have been generating a number of them, I am very pleased to say. They are some of the best out there. That being said, and noting that I have not yet read Shattered Haven or had the pleasure of meeting Bailey yet, I loved your two little snippets here. I could see Mike's expression in my mind, watching Bailey get ready for her bath, and I loved the idea of Bobby and his babies. I love him with kids and this was a very sweet moment. Thanks :-) (I'm gonna read Haven again, and I'll be sure to review this time...)

Evelyn: Excellent job! I love the idea of Ross shopping with Rodgers for lingerie. I can only imagine his level of discomfort there.

Quaxo: "Yes, Bobby. I cut up what turned out to be a twenty thousand dollar teddy bear. When I was seven." Perfect! I loved that! I can't blame the suspect for his unease, but I totally agree with Alex--to see him genuinely laugh for the first time in 2-1/2 years is certainly worth a mere twenty grand. Nice.

JRyan: Our boy is certainly a welcome distraction from a parade of Detective Fishes. And in a black t-shirt, no less. "Just pretend I'm not here." As if...

Janx: More Althea! Or, well, I guess the one from #8 would be the more...well, you know what I mean. I loved his distraction here! As shy as he is, getting him to pose for art, with camera equipment sounding off all around him. Hilarious! I loved it!


These challenges are fun to read as well as to write! You guys do a fantastic job! I guess I'd better get back to the writing board. If I could find one for the monkeys, I can certainly stir something up for the others

I haven't been around for a while and just started poking around - I agree IS, I think folks are doing a great job with these challenges and I always look forward to reading what they write. I was happy to have any inspiration at all to join in one. We'll see what happens in the future. I'd love to hear what you think of Haven for a Heart, Shattered Haven and Bum Rush, too. I devour reviews/thoughts and suggestions. Thanks for your kind words.

Still working on the challenges :-) This one will actually come after The Fabric of His Life, the sequel to Bridges to the Heart, my Bobby/Barb story. Enjoy!
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Barb stood at the stove, trying to get everything done by the time Bobby got home from work. He'd been busy with a case for the last few weeks and called to say he was planning to be home by seven that night. He hadn't been home by seven in a week and a half, and he'd been up and out of the house by six every morning. She found herself missing him, and she knew that was a very good thing. He missed her, too, and he called her as often as he could during the day.

As she stirred the pot of cheese sauce, she recalled craving broccoli and cheese during her pregnancy, and that made her think of Alex, who was just over four months pregnant. Poor Alex, she mused. She remembered how Bobby had been during her pregnancy, and she saw the same unsettled anxiety in him lately as Alex's pregnancy progressed. She was happy for Alex and Teddy, but she did not envy her the next five months of dealing with her overprotective partner. The pregnancy would make him that much worse. Of course Alex had experience in dealing with him while pregnant, from the time she'd carried her nephew, but Bobby was a lot closer to her now than he'd been then. He was bound to be much worse this time around. Barb smiled as she recalled Alex's early assertions that he would not be a problem. That had changed with their current case, and it was one reason he was so early—and so late—at the office. He chased his partner out of the squad room before six and enlisted Teddy's help in ensuring she never left home before seven. It was driving poor Alex crazy. It was all Barb could do to not say 'I warned you'.

She basted the roast and dumped the potatoes in the boiling water on the stove. Turning to the sink, she washed her hands. Her mind wandered as she thought about her children. Emily was crawling now, and Brian had spent the afternoon teaching her to play tag. The house had been full of giggles and chuckles, and she wished Bobby had been home to see it. Emily asked for him often; she missed her father when he wasn't home.

She was so distracted, she never heard him come in, so when two strong arms encircled her waist, she was startled. Then she laughed and relaxed in his embrace. He nuzzled her neck and she laughed again, turning to encircle his neck with her arms. She lost herself in a deep kiss. His hands slipped under the edge of her shirt and his fingers caressed her soft skin. She responded by pressing herself into his tall frame.

At the very edge of her awareness, she heard the refrigerator door open and she broke the kiss long enough to turn her head toward the intruder.

Brian withdrew a bottle of the baby's milk from the fridge and grinned at his mother's distracted expression. He didn't think Bobby even noticed he was there. Bobby had been spending more time at work than at home and Brian understood their need for each other. He waved a hand at his mother and said, "Just pretend I'm not here. Miss Emily and I are going to bond some more before bedtime; you guys should do the same."

Barb gave her son a smile and turned back to capture Bobby's mouth in another mind-numbing kiss. Brian picked the baby up from her playpen in the living room and carried her up the stairs to the nursery. He wondered if they would even make it out of the kitchen, laughing as he made excuses to the baby for the absence of their parents. "You're stuck with big brother for this feeding, kiddo. Mom and Dad are busy..."

Very nice. I'm going to have to get over to ffn and start reading "Fabric". I miss Bobby and Barb....