Bigger Summary; AU where Ryan Wolfe is not all he seems. Eric Delko finds many strange things start happening involving Ryan after he meets the strange man Ryan calls dad and he becomes determined to find out exactly what the reason behind all this is. Ryan however tries his best to keep Eric in the dark but when their emotions get mixed up in Eric's search it makes it a lot more complicated. Horatio seems to know more than he's letting on. Contains OC!Ryan's Dad and OC!Ryan's Mum.

Will be slash Eric/Ryan so if you don't like slash, don't read. Traces of Horatio/Marisol as well.

So this is a complete AU and it has been a while since I saw Miami except for repeats that are on TV and Season One that I have on DVD so the cases will be mixed up and it doesn't follow any of the seasons chronologically.

My first CSI Miami fanfic. I fell in love with the Eric/Ryan pairing and had to write a fanfic for it and this idea came to me strangely when I was listening to the Prince of Egypt soundtrack. I'm not giving too much away about what Ryan is in this fanfic, you'll have to read to find out xD Rated M for later chapters.

Something was wrong with Ryan. All his colleagues could see it.

Alexx was probably the first of them all to notice, but that was because she had taken Ryan under her wing like a stray and mothered him a lot, and motherly instincts could usually always be trusted. Horatio had noticed but did not think anything of it, at the end of the day his team were still human and all humans had problems every now and then but when Alexx told him that she had found Ryan asleep inside her autopsy room on the floor next to the table that carried a dead body he became concerned and started watching Ryan carefully. Eric had been the next to notice it when he had found Ryan asleep slumped over in the locker room, clutching a piece of paper tightly in his hand. Eric had been able to catch a glimpse at some very elaborate handwriting on the paper before he had woken Ryan up and asked him what he was doing. Calleigh caught on when Eric told her. Eventually the whole lab knew something was wrong. Ryan did not seem sleepy around the lab but he did keep turning up everywhere asleep.

"Do you think we should talk to him?" Eric asked as he approached Calleigh in the ballistic lab and found her knelt next to Ryan's sleeping form.

"I think we should ask Horatio to talk to him." She replied, smiling as Ryan shifted slightly in his sleep and muttered something unintelligible.

"Did you get a ballistics match?" Eric inquired when Calleigh had stood and turned to the gun that lay on the table.

"I haven't gotten around to our ballistics yet, there is another case that I need to work first. I'll have them soon Eric." Calleigh informed him with another charming smile. Eric smirked as she went back to her gun and he turned his attention to Ryan. Bending down Eric placed his hand on Ryan's shoulder and shook him gently awake.

"Hnnn…Eric?" Ryan murmured as he opened his eyes and blinked the sleep from his eyes, a little disorientated.

Eric was a little taken aback by Ryan's use of his first name but he put it down to the fact he had just woken up and he wasn't thinking straight yet.
"Hey man you can't sleep in here, we got some evidence for you to process in the other lab." Eric told him firmly, slipping an arm under Ryan's and pulling him to his feet.

All Ryan said in reply was "My ears are hurting."

"That will be my fault," Calleigh called as they moved to the door of her lab, "I was firing a gun."

"You're a really deep sleeper aren't you Wolfe?" Eric asked as he guided Ryan from the room.

"Hmmm, I'm not sure why I'm falling asleep all the time," Ryan sighed, avoiding Eric's eyes as he spoke.

Eric had known Ryan long enough to know that when he was evidently trying to avoid your gaze when you were speaking he was either lying or not giving a full version of the truth. Swallowing down the annoyance he felt because Ryan felt he had to lie to him Eric pushed forward into the lab and pointed Ryan over to the evidence he had just brought back from a crime scene.

"Maybe you should go and see a doctor." He suggested as Ryan slipped latex gloves on and went straight for the evidence.

"Maybe…" He murmured softly, engrossed in the evidence now.

The two of them worked in silence for about an hour until Horatio entered the room and watched pointedly as Ryan watched the machines working to give him some evidence. Ryan glanced up subconsciously because he felt like he was being watched and started when he saw Horatio there. Eric stopped working as well to look at his boss and see what he wanted.

"Mr. Wolfe, can I have a word?" Horatio asked when he saw both CSIs were now paying him attention.

"Sure H." Ryan agreed and left the lab with Horatio, following him up to his office and taking the seat Horatio gestured to.

"Mr. Wolfe it has been brought to my attention that you have been found sleeping in random places in the lab and I think we need to talk about it." Horatio began and Ryan shifted his feet, looking down into his lap nervously.

"H I…I don't know what to say." He stuttered.

"Then just listen to me Mr. Wolfe." Horatio stated firmly, his voice calm. Ryan relaxed a little bit at Horatio's tone, folding his hands in his lap and glancing up to meet Horatio's gaze every now and then.
"I don't know what the problem is and I will not force you to tell me what it is." He began. Ryan had to fight a grimace, trust Horatio to notice that he was lying when he said that he didn't know what the problem was.
"But this has to stop. I am giving you a week away from the lab Mr. Wolfe to sort out whatever problems you may be having and when you return I expect this behaviour to stop. In the lab we need to know we can trust each other and with you falling asleep constantly in the most random places we cannot trust you at the moment. This is not up for discussion." Horatio's tone turned from calm to assertive when Ryan opened his mouth to argue with his boss's decision.

"Fine H, I'll see you next week." Ryan said after a moment of silence, standing swiftly and exiting the room. Horatio watched him stalk off with a mixture of pity and worry on his face.

Eric noticed Ryan crossing the lab and heading for the lift and immediately wondered where his colleague was going.

"Hey Wolfe!" He called, running from the lab and catching Ryan before he managed to get in the lift that had just arrived. "Where are you going there is still evidence that needs to processed."

Ryan turned to look at Eric and the Cuban was unsure what emotions he could see in Ryan's hazel-green eyes.

"Horatio gave me some time off to deal with my problems." He stated simply before boarding the lift and jabbing at the buttons. Eric simply stood and watched as the metal doors slid closed and hid Ryan from his view. Although the entire lab had known something was wrong with Ryan they had never spoken to him about it and therefore it hadn't been an official thing, but Horatio had made it official now. Ryan must know that H had only done it because he was worried about him above any other possible reasons? Eric was unsure if Ryan was well enough to even think rationally and that scared him.

iI have to stop thinking about Wolfe,/i Eric told himself firmly,i there is extra work that needs to be done now he's gone./i With one last glance at the closed lift doors Eric headed back to the lab to get the results Ryan had been waiting for before Horatio had called him away.

It turned out that Eric was too busy over the next three days to give any thought to Ryan's state. Everyone in the lab was, although they had all noticed his absence and there were whispers about what it meant. It just so happened that the results Ryan had been waiting for had been the break in their case and it had led to a man-hunt for the perpetrator, and he had finally been caught. The first three days of Ryan's week off had been spent collaborating the evidence with the rest of the team and searching for the man before he realised they were on to him.

Horatio gave half the team the fourth day off because of how hard they had been working during that case. Eric decided he was going to use that day to go and check up on Ryan, even though Alexx had told him that Ryan had told her that he didn't want any visitors during this week, they were to leave him alone. He hadn't liked Ryan at all when he had first joined the team, he had still been reeling from Speedle's death and to him Ryan was just a replacement. They had fought a lot and it had affected the team around them but eventually Eric had come to see Ryan as a friend. He wasn't sure if Ryan felt the same but he definitely viewed the younger as a friend.

As Eric got out of his car and headed up to Ryan's flat he heard raised voices coming from inside. Automatically his hands went to his weapon but he forced them back from the gun and waited on the other side of Ryan's door, straining to see if he could hear what was being said.

"This is your entire fault!" Ryan was shouting, "I know you've done something to make me sleepy and I want you to stop it before I get fired!"

Eric stiffened. So Ryan did know what was happening? Or was it perhaps that whoever his visitor was had made him realise exactly what had happened to him? Why would someone want to get Ryan fired from the crime lab?

"Please son-." Another voice, an older voice pleaded.

"NO!" Ryan interrupted loudly, and there was the sound of something shattering, "Stop doing this to me! I like living here! I don't care what you think, or what I am just leave me alone and let me live my life!"

iWhat's going on?/i Eric wondered to himself as he listened to see if anything else would be said. He heard something else being shattered and decided that he should intervene. Taking a breath Eric bunched his hand up and rapped on the door loudly with his knuckles.

Silence followed.

Eventually there was the sound of a chain being drawn back and then the door opened, revealing a rather tired looking Ryan, with red ringed eyes. He looked surprised to see Eric stood there and for a moment neither of them spoke. It wasn't until another man appeared behind Ryan before anyone said a word. The man seemed to be elderly, with white hair and a white beard, but he did not have wrinkles of age upon his face. It was his eyes that really got to Eric though, for they were the same colour as Ryan's but seemed to be a mixture of extreme knowledge from age and youthful innocence. Was this man Ryan's dad? He had called Ryan son but that could also be a friendly pet name.

"Uh I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Eric said quietly, "But I can see you're busy so I'll just-."

"No," Ryan said rather harshly, and then smiled apologetically. "He was just leaving."

"No I wasn't-." The man began to say but Ryan cut him off this time with just a glare. "I will be back Ryan," He stated firmly and seemed for a moment to be about to hug Ryan but thought better of it and left the flat, Ryan stepping backwards so he could slide through the gap that he had opened, and the man shot a curious glance at Eric before heading for the stairs instead of the lift Eric had used.

"Eh, come in Delko." Ryan said after the man had disappeared and he opened the door properly. Eric did so, closing the door softly behind him and the first thing he noticed were two shattered glasses on the floor.
"Want a drink or anything?" Ryan asked, his voice quiet and a little sheepish.

"No no I'm fine." Eric replied.

Ryan nodded and gestured to the coach. Eric knew what he meant before Ryan spoke so he took a seat. Ryan however, disappeared for a moment before returning with a dustpan and brush. He immediately set about cleaning up the mess made from the two shattered glasses and Eric had to stop himself from laughing at the fact that his friends OCD had kicked in. Honestly, he was surprised that Ryan hadn't cleaned them up as soon as they had been shattered.

Eric felt the silence between them was rather uncomfortable but Ryan either didn't seem to notice or just didn't comment on it.

"So…how are you feeling?" Eric finally asked, glad that Ryan was bent over cleaning up the shards of glass so they didn't have to make eye contact.

"Better. I stopped falling asleep everywhere when I called my…dad." Ryan replied quietly.

"I heard. You um, you said that he is behind you falling asleep everywhere?" Eric pressed.

Ryan stood, the dustpan full of glass and his hair a little askew and shrugged lightly, "He probably slipped something in my drink or my food, he does have a key to my apartment." He suggested, his voice still quiet. Eric wouldn't be surprised if his voice was a little sore, he had no idea how long Ryan had been yelling at his father.

"Why would he do that?" Eric asked.

"My dad didn't agree with my choice to become a police officer, and he was even unhappier when I told him I'd be joining the crime lab." Ryan admitted, emptying the dustpan and shoving it back under the sink with the brush, "He's probably trying to get me fired."

This time it was Ryan who was thankful he was bent down as he talked because he knew that all his colleagues could tell when he was being evasive in his answers. Eric could never know the true reasons why his father would do that, or how, and Ryan had to be careful, Eric had already heard more than he should have. Searching for something else to say Ryan breathed a sigh of relief when Eric's mobile began to ring.

"Hey H," Eric said as he answered it. Ryan was unsure why he was still kneeling on the floor but he stayed there, one hand resting on top of the table top.
"I'm at Wolfe's house, I wanted to see if he was okay." A pause while Eric waited for his reply. "Yeah he's fine, he said he wasn't falling asleep everywhere anymore." Eric paused again. "A new crime scene? Yeah I can do it….no it's fine H…..take Wolfe?...sure okay." Ryan stood when he heard Eric's phone snapping shut and tried to hide his glee at the fact that Horatio was allowing him to come back to work after only four days.

"Is your crime kit full?" Eric asked as he stood up.

"Yeah, it's in my car." Ryan replied swiftly.

"Well grab it Wolfe and then meet me in the Hummer, we have a crime scene."

Ryan nodded and waited for Eric to leave before him so he could close and lock the door. They made the journey to Eric's Hummer in silence and even when they both climbed in and Eric pulled out of the underground car-park and sped off towards the address that Horatio had given him neither him nor Ryan spoke. This silence was different to the one from in the apartment, Eric did not feel uncomfortable travelling in silence with Ryan, it was an easy silence between them. Eric could tell that Ryan was happy to be allowed back on cases early and it definitely seemed that he was no longer tired, but there was something suspicious about the conversation he had heard between Ryan and his father but Eric couldn't put his finger on it.

"This is the place," He stated after a surprisingly short drive and Ryan was climbing out the car before Eric had completely pulled to a stop outside a rather desolate looking warehouse.

"Is there anyone in there before us?" Ryan inquired as Eric joined him next to the Hummer.

"H didn't say there would be, why?" Eric replied with another question.

"The door is open. And there should be a squad car here at least to keep an eye on the body and those that called it in." Ryan said simply, his hand going for his gun automatically. Eric knew that Ryan was right but he hadn't thought of how strange it was that the crime scene was empty until the younger CSI had brought it up.
"Call for backup, then take the front. I'll go round the back." Ryan added before he was off. Eric was about to call out for him to wait for backup but the other man was already off, sneaking around the back of the warehouse.

"This is Eric Delko," Eric said hurriedly into the police walky-talky. "I need backup ASAP." He continued before stating the address and that he and Ryan had reported to the scene of a dead body. The conversation was over in about two minutes but as soon as it was over Eric raced to the front of the warehouse and slipped in through the slightly open door. It was dark inside but he could smell the body and he let that guide him towards it, his gun drawn and his eyes peeled for any sort of movement in the dark.

The next thing Eric remembered before he hit the floor was "ERIC!" echoing around the warehouse followed by two gunshots, one close to him, the other from a distance and something heavy barrelling into him before he hit the floor and became rather disorientated. The fact that two gunshots had been fired registered in Eric's head after a few seconds and he was up, gun out in front of him, checking for who had fired the shot. His shirt felt wet against his skin and when he looked down he was covered in blood, blood that definitely wasn't his own because he couldn't feel any pain anywhere in his body. Then he remembered hearing his name being shouted and the fact that someone had knocked him to the floor. Eric turned slightly and saw Ryan on the floor, blood seeping from an evident bullet wound in his chest. Surprisingly Ryan looked rather calm as Eric dropped to the floor beside him.

"I shot him." He murmured, his voice raspy because his throat had gone suddenly dry. Eric immediately stood and looked for the man who had shot Ryan. There was a bullet right between his eyes, evidently Ryan's and Eric was amazed that Ryan had managed to shoot someone so perfectly when he had been shot himself.

"Wolfe you better hold on!" Eric cried as he rushed back over to his friend and fell beside him, using one hand to put pressure on the wound and the other to call 911.
"I need a paramedic immediately! Officer down!" He yelled down the phone, answering the questions posed by the lady who had answered his call as quickly as possible, pushing his hand probably painfully against Ryan's wound.

Eric wasn't sure as he sat waiting for the ambulance to arrive what distressed him more, the fact that Ryan had gotten himself shot with a bullet that was meant for him or that Ryan did not seem distressed by the fact that he was bleeding everywhere. His eyes were closed but his breathing was even and light despite the fact that the bullet had probably penetrated a lung.

"Eric? Eric!"

Eric jumped as he heard his name being called and turned to find Horatio and some paramedics rushing towards them, while others hurried to the dead suspect. Alexx had arrived with them and though Eric could tell as soon as he caught her eye that she wanted to be with Ryan she headed for the dead body that Eric had abandoned because of Ryan. Calleigh had appeared as well to process the scene. Horatio pulled Eric back from Ryan's body so the paramedics could work on Ryan. It was only now that Ryan showed any sign of panic and Eric found this even stranger than Ryan's calmness at being shot.

"I'm going with him to the hospital." Eric stated firmly as the paramedics loaded Ryan onto a trolley and rolled him out of the back door and around the warehouse to their ambulance. Neither of them argued with him for he wore such a stern, determined expression on his face they were sure no matter what they said he wouldn't listen.

"Eric I think you should process the scene with Calleigh-." Horatio said quietly as Ryan was loaded onto the ambulance.

"H I'm covered in Ryan's blood, I'd probably contaminate the evidence." Eric interrupted quickly.

Horatio smiled softly, "I was going to say after you'd cleaned yourself up, Eric. But you do make a good point, I know you would want to see Mr. Wolfe okay. Go with him." He affirmed and Eric climbed into the ambulance, slamming the door shut and taking a seat next to Ryan's still form.

Ryan was aware that Eric was staring at him and could feel Eric holding his hand but he didn't move. Not because it was painful or because the bullet was still stuck in his body but because he was extremely nervous about what the paramedics would find when they undid his shirt to patch up his wound. Luckily for him it's still bleeding so they might not notice that the wound was starting to heal. He had been so careful up until now but seeing the gun pointed at Eric had driven him to movement before he could even process what this would mean if he was injured. Eric was suspicious of something, he knew it, and this would only make that worse. Ryan willed the wound to open up again and bleed properly as a gunshot should and he felt his skin rip and blood pour forth. It was hard to keep that up for a long time but Ryan did so until he felt himself slipping unconscious.