We've noted before that Jimmy Cayne was determined to keep Bear Stearns independent. While he listened to the many suitors, some think he was never really interested in a merger. The price was always too low. With Alan Schwartz now in charge, will all those suitors come back into the picture? An intriguing possibility: Fortress Investments. The Financial Times notes there were some detailed discussions underway. The deal never went through, but if the logic were compelling enough, who knows? It might rise again. Fortress may benefit from Bear's larger (albeit shrinking) balance sheet. Bear Stearns might benefit from Fortress's alternative investment prowess; it could sorely use some help.  

For more:
- here's the Financial Times article