Title: First Day
Author: Chiri Kushi
Fandom: CSI: Miami
Category: General, with hints of Romance
Pairing: A hint of Calleigh and Ryan
Rating: T for language
Spoilers: End of Season 5
Disclaimer: I do not own
Author's Note: I wrote this a while back (about June). My thoughts on what could happen next for Mr. Wolfe.
"I was born to be a cop, it's in my blood."
He kept repeating the line over in his head. He thought about the sweat, the tears, even the blood that he shed to be a cop. It truly was in his blood. His father's father, and his father had both been cops. He happily followed in their footsteps, eager to serve and protect.
He just had to fuck it up, didn't he?
He sighed angrily as he looked at his box of items on the table. He had to start all over again. He would be under the scrutinizing eyes of Horatio, and Horatio's bosses. Crap, he thought to himself, every time I turn around I'll see Stetler there just waiting for me to mess up again.
He grabbed the box and walked to his door. My first day back, and I'll be damned if I'm late.
Ryan Wolfe exited the elevator on his floor. The third floor. The crime lab. His stomach was tied in a knot, as if it was his first day of a brand new school. He laughed bitterly. This was worse, much worse. Silence overcame the usually loud building as he stepped closer to the locker rooms, box of stuff in hand. He smiled here and there at his coworkers. He grinned happily for the first time in weeks as he finally realized what that meant. I'm back.
He opened the door to the locker room and stopped in his track. There by his newly reinstated locker, stood Calleigh Duquesne. She was casually taking her time in her locker, something he has never seen her do, ever. That only meant one thing. He slowly walked in to the locker room, with the door slamming behind him. Startling Calleigh, she looked up and in his direction. He held his breath.
She smiled enthusiastically as he walked closer, "Hey stranger. How's it going?"
He let out the breath, glad that she seemed sincerely happy to see him, "I'm good. It's good to be back."
"It's good to have you back. Listen, I just wanted to apologize for what I said to you that day at the news studio. You were already having a bad day, a bad week. I'm sure you heard enough yelling and discussion to last a lifetime, and I'm sure I didn't help any."
"Calleigh," he sighed as he continued putting away his things as Calleigh watched him, "I deserved it. I probably deserved more than what you gave me. It made me realize just how stupid I was."
"Why did you gamble in the first place?" She asked as she finally closed her locker and leaned against it.
He groaned inwardly, "I don't know. I was under a lot of stress. I was going through too many emotions at the same time to understand what I was feeling. I don't know."
"What were you feeling?"
"Anger, guilt, sympathy, sadness, happiness," he paused briefly, "Love."
She looked up at him, "Why didn't you say anything?"
He sighed, putting the now empty box on the ground, "I was afraid. How do you tell someone the emotions I was going through? I needed a release. I found one, the wrong one, but it felt good. It was nice to get away from the death, the sadness that was too overwhelming. You know me; I'm not much for conversation when it's about me."
She grinned shyly, "I know all too well."
Ryan rubbed his face, "I don't know. I just," he sighed, "every call we get, every dead body, every crime scene we have to investigate, it just got to me."
Calleigh walked up to him and did something unexpectedly. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged as tight as she could. He satisfyingly gave in to the hug. He breathed in her smell. Vanilla Brown sugar, he thought.
"It gets to us all Ryan. You have to talk to someone," she paused briefly, creating a sting in her voice, "To me."
He hugged her tighter, "I know. I'm sorry I didn't come to you sooner."
They stood in silence for what felt like an eternity, but was actually half a minute. Calleigh was the first to break free, "I have to go. I'm working with Eric today. How about we go out tonight? Dinner and maybe some drinks afterward?"
Ryan nodded silently as he picked up the box, "Yeah. I'll see you later." She smiled and walked in the opposite direction. He closed his eyes as he closed his locker, and walked towards the locker room door, ready to start his day.
Outside of the locker room he ran into the one person he just didn't have the patience to deal with today.
"Mr. Wolfe," Rick Stetler said as he laid eyes on Ryan.
"Sergeant Stetler," Ryan said, voice thick with venom, "Here's your box back. I won't be needing it anytime soon."
Stetler scowled as Ryan walked away, towards Horatio's office.