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The locker was cold against Ryan Wolfe's forehead. Though the throbbing in his temples didn't subside, it took his mind off the pain that also resided in his hand. Punching steel as hard as possible was not a very good stress reliever. But at the time, he had not been thinking clearly, so punching the locker six times seemed like a good idea.
Sometimes, Ryan wondered why he did this job. It always ate at him that they didn't always catch the bad guys. Today, for example, a murderer had escaped their grasps. The entire team knew he had done it. The evidence supported that. But even Horatio's Glare of Doom didn't change the fact that the suspect got away.
Thinking about it now, Ryan did not want to leave the sanctuary of the locker room. Not because he felt safe there, but because he couldn't really look at her. She had compromised the whole case and now just thinking of the DNA lab pissed him off all over again.
He plopped down on the locker room bench and rested his elbows on his knees. How the hell do you mix up DNA swabs, he wondered to himself. How the hell did I not notice that she mixed up the swabs, he thought suddenly. Ryan watched her as she cut the swab and ran the DNA, but he didn't actually see her mix up the evidence. Logically, Ryan was not responsible. But he still felt somewhat guilty.
There was a small commotion behind him but he didn't look up. A hand squeezed his shoulder and he met the gaze of a green eyed blonde. Calleigh smiled sympathetically at him. He knew that she only meant to make him feel better but it was sickening. Ryan didn't want to be pitied. He wanted the murdering bastard to go to jail.
Eric also tried to offer comfort by patting him on the back. Ryan felt like throwing something. If they were going to act like this, Ryan would rather go home. So he stood, bid his friends a quick goodbye and walked out.
Passing the DNA lab, Ryan was relieved that she was not in there. He didn't really know how he would react if he saw her. He was almost home free as he pressed the button to hail the elevator…when he heard her voice.
"Ryan!" she called.
Spinning around, Ryan saw Valera running to try and catch him before he boarded the elevator.
"Hey, Ryan, look I'm-"
"You're sorry?" he asked coldly. "You're sorry you blew the case and let a murderer free? Yeah, I'd be sorry too."
She was speechless. Valera had not expected him to be like this. That much was apparent by her expression of shame.
Ryan noticed and maybe he would apologize later, but not right now. The elevator arrived and he got on without turning around.
He didn't want to go home anymore. He just wanted to get away.