Unexpected by mardel I just borrowed them for the story. A non traditional paring but inspired by a few small moments in several season two episodes and observed or imagined chemistry. If you really must know before you read the story.............. it's Alex and Bobby. Ever since I read the last two chat's, the one with Brady and the one with Vince and Paul this idea has been swirling in my head. Alex sighed and pulled her car into the parking lot beside the agency. She was still dreading the assignments the Official found for her. He sometimes teamed her with Fawkes and Hobbes. But more often she was sent on a mission on her own and occasionally with one of the other agents. She was beginning to look forward to being teamed with Fawkes and Hobbes. Darien never let the mood get to serious, and Bobby's sense of humor was off beat but he'd kind of grown on her. She parked her car, and strolled inside. She went straight to the Official's office. She preferred to be the first one there, so she had her choice of seats. She was surprised to find Hobbes already seated. "Hobbes, where is your sidekick?" "Monroe, Fawkes isn't in on this case. The Keeper needs to run some tests on him." Bobby nodded to her. "I see, then they must expect this to be a short case or he'll be joining us after she's done with him." Alex threw out, then took the other seat the one near the windows. The seat she preferred. "Hobbes, Monroe this is a picture of the man you will being following. He'd suspected of espionage against our government. We want you to keep a close watch on him for the next three days. If possible obtain evidence to help bring charges against him." "Yes, Sir." "Three days, just the two of us, we'll need relieved at some point." Alex said. "No, just the two of you, all the other agents have their own assignments." He sounded more gruff than usual. Alex exchanged looks with Hobbes, and he shrugged. He was used to having to pull extra duty, especially since Fawkes had arrived. At least with Monroe he wouldn't have to worry about her getting her head shot off. She knew how to take care of her self when the crap broke out. "You're dismissed." The Official gestured towards the door. Eberts rushed over and opened it for them. "Eberts I don't wish to be disturbed for the next hour." "Yes, Sir." He followed agents Monroe and Hobbes out of the office. "What's with the chief there Eberts? Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Bobby asked. "I'm afraid I don't know. Perhaps it's the over abundance of cases we seem to have at the moment." Eberts shook his head. "Is that why we don't get relieved, there aren't enough agents for the number of cases the Agency has to clear this month?" Alex placed a hand on Eberts arm so he would turn and face her. "We do seem to have more cases than agents to handle them." Eberts replied. "Great, just what I needed to hear." Alex complained and turned back towards her office. "I've got the surveillance equipment already, if you want to meet me at the van in a few minutes." Bobby was trying to be easy to get along with. "Help me out here Hobbes, I have some stuff in my office that might just come in handy with this case." "Ok, lead the way." Bobby knew Alex had access to more high tech equipment than the Agency usually did. He was willing to take advantage of being partnered with her. Once in her office she handed him a lap top computer and a case containing the latest thing in listening devices. "Nice, Monroe you do have all the right contacts, when it comes to hardware." Bobby told her. "Thanks, I'll bring the other stuff with me and meet you down there in ten, Ok?" "Fine." Bobby carried the stuff out to the van. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "So how are we going to locate this guy, the file doesn't have much information." Alex asked her new partner. "I have a lead, if that doesn't pan out. I'll take any suggestions you have." Bobby was driving towards the waterfront. They managed to locate Grant and set up surveillance on him. But he was using a cell phone from a large office complex and zeroing in on his conversation and only his conversation was proving difficult. Alex usually had no trouble working the small computer that controlled the metabolic mic, but she just didn't seem to have the touch needed to hold it on their target. "Mind if I give it a try?" Bobby wasn't finding fault with her abilities, he just thought if she took a break she might be able to get it after he gave it a try. He worked on the keyboard for a few minutes and the man they were attempting to listen in on came in loud and clear. "Good work, now maybe we can figure out what he's planning." Alex touched Bobby on the shoulder when he zeroed it in perfectly. "Thanks, now relax this is going to be along day." Those were words he didn't often have to give Darien. Darien was always telling him to calm down. Alex had only touched his shoulder for three seconds, but she'd noticed something. She'd noticed substance under her hand. Bobby was solid, like a rock, she'd never considered him physically. Other than to tease him about his lack of height a few times in the beginning of their working relationship. Fawkes was the physically imposing member of the duo, sure he was tall but he was put together real nice. Those long body parts were sculpted to perfection. Anyone would notice. Alex had noticed, it had irritated her for weeks. She was concerned with only one thing back then, finding her son. So she shouldn't have been noticing details like the great build of her hot young hunk of a partner. But if she thought about Hobbes, that is considered that he was a master in Ha Keto that he'd been an agent now for over fifteen years. If made sense that he had to be in top shape. She'd just never noticed before that he was strong. She'd seen him carrying his partner across a dark field on one mission. Carried in his arms in front like a parent carried a child. That took serious upper body strength, especially if the person being carried was heavier than the one doing the carrying. She'd been covering Darien's escape when he'd gone down. Bobby was the only change he'd had that night of making it out in one piece. She studied him from her vantage behind him. Bobby did have nice wide shoulders. He'd removed his suit jacket when she was fiddling with the equipment, it was hot in the empty office they'd set up their post in. He was wearing a blue polo shirt that revealed, if she stopped to notice, well muscled forearms, and wide strong hands. There was also a nice V shape to his upper body, his shoulders considerably broader than his trim waist. Alex lifted an eye brow at this discovery. Damn, Bobby you've been hiding all this under those out dated suits? Bobby knew Alex was standing behind him, but he didn't feel her eyes on him at first. But his six sense was telling him now. She was studying him, the question was why? "Something wrong back there?" Bobby continued to monitor their man. "No, no nothing is wrong. I was just noticing... um you're carrying a new weapon aren't you?" Alex chickened out from complementing him. He might take it the wrong way and think she was interested in him. Bobby relaxed, he'd thought she was up to something. He checked on Grant then turned to face her. " It's a Glock 9 mm, just got it a few months ago." He upholstered his side arm and checking to make sure the safety was locked handed it to her. Alex accepted his automatic, their hands touching in the transfer. His hand was very warm, masculine. Her heart did a flip flop in her chest at the contact. She didn't know what had come over her. She was reacting to him like a school girl with her first crush. "This is a nice weapon, how is it in the reliability department." "Ninety eight percent, that's higher than my forty five auto." Bobby told her. "You'll have to let me shoot it sometime on the range." She handed it back to him. Her hand touched his again during the transfer, she swallowed and couldn't look at him for a few seconds. She was afraid her racing heart beat would give her away. She knew she felt flushed. Bobby noticed the change in Alex's demeanor. He just didn't understand what was causing it. He had no inkling is was him. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "We've been sitting on this guy for four hours, I'm going to go for some food what would you like?" Bobby asked as he stood up from the computer terminal and stretched. Alex stared, when he closed his eyes and reached his arms out to the side, flexing tired muscles she just stared. How was it possible to have worked in such close quarters with a person and not notice he was so well put together. Bobby's arms rippled as he stretched. Even his shirt didn't hide the details of his build, she could see the clinging material revealed more than it hide. "Alex, did you hear me? What do you want for lunch?" Bobby hadn't been facing her until she didn't answer. Now he was looking in her direction, worried she wasn't mouthing off at him per her usual grumpy self. "Ah, chicken anything with chicken in it. And I'd appreciate another bottle of water." She blinked and focused on his face, instead of his body. "Are you alright you look a little flushed?" Bobby studied her face, man he'd thought working with her would be a nice change for a few days, he wouldn't have to keep a close watch on her like he had to with Darien. Now he wasn't so sure, and he didn't know her well enough to be sure when she was in some kind of trouble. Alex stood up and took his place behind the computer terminal. "Yeah, I'm fine it's just hot in here." She lied. "Ok, anything else water and chicken. How about gum or something?" "No, that's all I need. Thanks," she pretended to be studying the suspect, putting the ear phones on again. Bobby shook his head and grabbed up his jacket, he had to wear it in public to hide his sidearm. God Monroe get hold of yourself. It's not like you haven't worked with good looking men before, attractive men, well built men. Damn she couldn't even stop trying to describe him to herself, she really needed to get a grip. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: part two Bobby strolled out to the van then noticed just down the block a familiar red logo a Chic-fil-a place. What they hell, she wanted chicken he wasn't that choosey and their food was pretty good. He walked down and picked up two meals, and being California they sold bottles of water just about every where he got a couple of bottles of water and himself more coffee. Alex and pacing while keeping Grant under surveillance, she was talking to herself. "You've got to pull it together. This is ridiculous, it's just Hobbes. Yeah he's been hiding that build, sure he's a nice guy. But this isn't the time or the place." Bobby came back more quickly than she'd expected. "Hey, I found a place real close by that had what you wanted." He opened the door after doing the secret knock to let her know it was him. "I got you the meal deal, figured you might like a vegetable to go with." He put down the bags, and then the water. "Thanks Hobbes, I'm hungry now that I can smell the food." "You're welcome, dig in." He was opening his bag and pulled out the sandwich and the little thing of cole slaw. Alex found a eight pack of chicken nuggets, and a little thing of cole slaw. She'd never had food from this place so she was hesitant to take her first bite. Bobby noticed, "It's good, better than Mac's chicken." Alex ate one of the chicken nuggets, they were tender and tasty. "This is pretty good." She agreed with him. Bobby nodded, and continued to eat. He wasn't sure what a safe topic was with Monroe so he was just keeping quiet. Alex managed to keep her mind off on their work for the next few hours. Then Grant went out and they had to follow him in the van again. "Hobbes if you stay this far behind him we're going to lose him if he makes a quick exit." "No, I've tailed guys harder to keep track of then Grant, I've got it." Alex was about to disagree with him, when he quickly changed lanes and moved up with the suspect as he made his way down the exit ramp. It was a swiftly executed maneuver, but not obvious it just looked like he'd almost missed his exit. "Did you hear him making any plans to meet up with someone?" Bobby asked. "No, if this is a meet, it was set up before we started watching him." Bobby continued to follow Grant but he was going to his dentist. "Do you think his contact is meeting him there?" Alex wondered. "I don't know but the only way we're going to find out is one of us go in." "I'll go, you might put a tracking bug on his car while I'm inside." Bobby nodded and dug one out of the bag Alex had brought along from her office. He checked it's reception and then moved out of the van, he acted casual, walking through the parking lot, he dropped his keys when he was beside Grant's car and quickly put the bug into place. Then picked his keys and continued to the building. He only stayed in side a minute then returned to the van.