“Winners and Prizes”

Copyright 2008 Penn O'Hara

T

Usual disclaimers apply.

LOCI Timeline: During Season Seven.

MY LOCI Timeline: Post “Conversations”.

A/N: This time there is a very small hat-tipping to my own “Extracurricular Pursuits”. I couldn’t resist the humor factor.

oOo

Expect the Unexpected : Bobby’s POV.

oOo

Feeling a presence beside him, Bobby turned to see their waiter patiently standing at his elbow. Being distracted by the women’s strange behavior, he had failed to make a menu choice, whereas normally, he would devote much attention and thought to the process.

With other issues demanding resolution, he opted for the fail-safe. “Two Chef’s Specials,” he said, neither knowing nor caring what it was and raised a brow in query at Logan.

“Same here,” the other man clipped, like him, more interested in the dilemma before them. Logan dismissed the waiter, and glared at Deedee. “Goren asked you a question.”

“We won a contest,” Deedee said, defiantly tipping her chin. “The prize was a date with our favor— a…a detective.”

“You know things… about us,” Bobby said, her slip further cautioning him.

“We’ve followed your cases,” Deedee admitted.

“You got access to our case files?!” Logan asked, his shock communicated in the scraping of his chair on the restaurant floor.

Goren was just as disturbed. There was no way of knowing if they were friend or foe, working in the department or against it with an ulterior motive he couldn’t identify.

“You could say that,” Gigi said, avoiding Logan’s stare.

Bobby’s eyes narrowed. Both women were looking uncomfortable, as if the conversation was now out of their control. If they’d said too much or given anything away, Goren still hadn’t intercepted it.

“Someone has arranged this,” he said.

“Yes, the organizer of the contest,” Deedee insisted. She blinked at him innocently, but Goren didn’t buy it. He didn’t like being snowballed and he’d had enough of the subterfuge.

“I don’t believe you!” he shouted.

“Hey, Bobby, calm down,” Logan said, stretching out a placating hand. Gigi grabbed it, bringing it back to her and patting it.

“At least you’re not acting weird,” she said to Logan.

“One of the first things you said,” Goren said to Deedee, coming in close, “…was… Bobby wasn’t my real name.”

“It isn’t!” Deedee looked at both of them, eyes wide in wonder, then threw up her hands in surrender. “Look, guys, we appreciate you keeping up the pretence. I mean, it’s fun dining out with Bobby Goren and Mike Logan of Major Case, but, heck! We’re just as thrilled to be dining with Vincent D’Onoforio and Chris Noth. You don’t really need to—”

“Who?!” Logan demanded, his face contorted.

“You’re so funny, Chris,” Gigi laughed. “But, hey, I adore you just like I adore Mikey and of course,” she sighed heavily, “…Big. My God, all the times I wished I could have crawled into Sarah Jessica Parker’s skin and done just half of those bedroom scenes with you—”

Logan was on his feet, tipping the table in his haste. Goren stood also, putting distance between himself and Deedee while he tried to make sense of what they were saying.

“Bobby, what is it?”

Alex was at his elbow with Barek in tow and Goren looked down at her in relief. “I…there’s been…a mistake. These women are confused…”

“No offence, but you’re the one looking confused,” Deedee said with conviction. “Alex…uh, Ms Erbe, I’m sorry, but I was just trying to tell Vince I’m quite happy for him to be himself. He doesn’t have to keep pretending he’s Bobby.”

“Who’s Vince?” Barek asked, moving to Logan and wrapping a protective hand around his arm.

“I sure as hell don’t know,” Logan stated, pulling her in closer.

“Ms Sciorra, if you don’t mind,” Gigi said firmly, taking Logan’s other arm, “but I won Chris for tonight and I’m not sharing him. You had your chance to work with him on the set and, quite frankly, from what I hear, you were a bit mean to him. No wonder he asked for you to be replaced.”

“What the hell is she talking about?!” Barek insisted, looking wildly at Goren, then back at Logan.

Logan raised his hands and backed away, but when both Barek and Gigi failed to let go, ended up dragging them with him. “Don’t ask me! I don’t even know who Chris is!”

“This is ridiculous, Vince,” Deedee said, all tolerant humor dissipating. “Look, I know you’re a married man, but you agreed to come on this date, and I only want to talk to you about your career and admire—”

“What do you mean he’s a married man!?” Alex demanded.

Goren could hear the shrillness in Alex’ voice and he cringed. She’ll be looking to him for answers and he had none to give. “Eames…I…don’t know what—”

“Excuse me, Ms Erbe,” Deedee seethed, standing with her back against Goren, facing Alex off, “but you really are sticking your nose where it has no right to be. I admire your work too but as Bobby’s partner in the series for so long, surely… surely… you could have demanded that Bobby and Alex become an item and put us all out of our misery!”

Goren had no place to go. Deedee had him hard up against the next table, and the diners there were already scraping their chairs backward, anticipating trouble. The indignant fury on Alex’ face was a sight to appreciate if he wasn’t more interested in planning his dodge to high ground.

“And because Chris couldn’t work with you, Ms Sciorra,” Gigi pouted from the safety of Logan’s side, “we’ve been barraged with boyish elves and grating railroaders who don’t know when to shut up and let Logan work his magic. I personally think you could have tried harder to be nice to him.”

“Let me at ‘er!” Barek gritted and lunged for the other woman.

Logan pulled her up short, whirling her around and pinning her to him with both arms. His impetus sent Gigi flying toward the table behind, but Goren managed to catch her before she fell. Deedee rushed to help her friend, but tripped, falling against him so that the three of them went down with a bone-jarring thud. Twisting, Goren managed to take the brunt of the dive, with the two women collapsing onto his chest and legs. He looked up, blinking with shock, to see Alex standing between his outstretched legs, arms crossed, glaring down at him.

“And what position does the Kama Sutra call that one, Bobby?” she asked through clenched teeth.

“Detectives?”

Goren twisted around to see Captain Ross and Doctor Rodgers approach. He scrambled to his feet, helping Deedee and Gigi to theirs, rubbing the elbow that had hit the floor.

“Captain…this was a… bad idea,” Goren appealed to Ross, needing an excuse to end the evening. “There’s been a mistake—”

“Mr Bogosian?” Deedee straightened her dress and pushed back her hair to glare at the Captain. “I need to talk to someone in charge of this circus. This isn’t working for me.”

Goren felt the disapproving glare Ross gave Logan and himself was unwarranted. This hadn’t been their idea, nor were they calling the shots.

Ross turned to Deedee with a cool look. “I have seniority here.”

“No, actually, you’re only relatively new,” Deedee said, shaking her head, dissatisfied. “I want someone who’s been around longer.”

“Chris has been with the show since 1990,” Gigi said helpfully.

“Who is Chris?” Barek demanded.

“Yeah, I know,” Deedee agreed, “but he left in ninety-five. We need someone who has clout with the producers, ‘cos they’ve hung around and been loyal and haven’t gone off to other ventures.”

Goren moved as Rodgers stepped forward and maneuvered around him and Ross. “That would be me,” she said quietly and Goren was startled at her calm acceptance of the situation, seemingly understanding what was going on.

Deedee sized her up, nodding. “You’ve been in every incarnation and yes, you’ve been on this gig longer than anyone, but… I reckon you’ve sent the producers into a state of shock with that blonde hair of yours. They’ll probably marry you off to Ross and get you off the show now.”

“I think,” Gigi said, “we really need to see the top dog.”

Deedee smiled. “You mean, Mr Wolf?”

Gigi nodded. “Yeah. If anyone can sort out this mess, he can.”

“Come to think of it,” Deedee mused, “there was a guy at a table near the maître ds station who bore a strong resemblance—”

“Let’s go,” Gigi said. She turned to Logan and stood on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Stepping back, she smiled and sighed. “I wonder if I can persuade Mr Wolf to let me be Logan’s next partner.” Winking broadly at Logan, she took her friend’s arm in hers and headed toward the restaurant entrance, leaving everyone astounded, Goren included.

The silence stretched, the sound of the diners around them muting into a cotton wool dampener of muffled talk, clunk of cutlery on plates that added to Goren’s confused disbelief.

“Married man?” Alex asked ominously, jolting him out of his trance. Goren shrank within himself, his hesitant smile ground into dust as he saw the glitter of murder in her eyes. He started to back away.

“You were gonna get me replaced anyway?!“ Barek turned on Logan, sounding appalled and angry. “You let me think it was my idea to transfer—”

“I have no idea what just happened,” Logan cut her off. “But I’m gonna do somethin' about fixin’ it.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Elizabeth Rodgers cuddled up to Ross, butting her shoulder against his to tuck a hand into the crook of his arm. She coyly batted her eyelids at him. “Were you going to pop the question tonight, Danny boy? If so, I’m ready and waiting…”

She coaxed him to leave the shell-shocked group still standing around the table, singing in a deep contralto, the Irish tune Danny Boy.

oOo

Finis.

A/N: I was going to do a prologue, but I dunno. This seems like a good note to end on. ::wink::