Benny was going over some crime scene photos, scrutinizing them in search of any small detail, just a thread, that could help them to catch the first serial rapist she had ever encountered, when she heard a noise behind her and jumped.

"Oh, Ryan…it's just you." She exhaled more loudly than she had intended to.

"Thanks, that's sweet…'just Ryan'." He teased flirtingly. "So I guess it's you and me on the Jackson scene today, huh?" He tried to sound casual, but to no avail. His hands were shaking in their gloves.

"Oh yeah? I thought I was working it with Eric?" She hardly seemed concerned.

"Yeah, uh…you know that's uh…" A deep breath, and he started again. "Something came up." Not a lie. I came up.

She smiled sweetly. "That's great! What more could a girl want?"

God, she's gorgeous. You could keep a man's heart in those dimples.

"I'll just finish up here…I should be done within a half hour."

God, he's gorgeous. This birthday is decidedly lucky.

It's her birthday, but I'm getting the gift. It was all he could do not to break out into song as he left the lab.

Forty-five minutes later, Ryan beeped the lock on his Hummer, simultaneously putting on his sunglasses and shooting a surreptitious glance at Benny to see if she was shooting a surreptitious glance at him.

In his car, Ryan felt the confidence of a man who knew what he wanted. It was an illusion, of course. He didn't even know what he wanted for lunch. Maybe some roast beef.

"So, big 2-1, huh? How does it feel to be a voting, drinking, porn-buying citizen?"

Benny laughed right out loud, the beautiful sound bubbling out of her and dancing with invisible particles across the universe.

"Yeah, I'm psyched. You've just built it up so much."

"Oh, I'd say us alcoholic voters have a pretty good team."

Conversation between the two was always like this, casual, comfortable, relaxed. Natural. But, of course, there was just enough subtle anticipation on both of their parts that there was never a single dull moment with them.

"Well, between you and me, I got wasted last night with a friend of mine from University." Her eyes flashed, obviously proud of her great act of defiance and rebellion. Drinking alcohol a whole six hours before her birthday.

But Ryan wasn't focusing on the fact that Benny had been drinking the night before. He found himself nervously concentrating on the image of her standing in her driveway, captured in the firm, capable grasp of that guy.

Can I bring it up? Is it creepy that I drove past her house last night? What do I say? What would she say?

Before he could say anything, though, Benny's cell phone started ringing to the tune of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".

"Cute ring, eh?"

Was she even alive when that song was released?

"Scott! Hey, what's up, love?" Oh, damn. He is her boyfriend! "Yeah, I'm just on my way to a scene." A pause. "Yeah, sure. You like two percent, right? Don't know how you drink it. It's like cream." They're talking about groceries! Why don't they just get married already! "Oh, yeah, how are you feeling?" A pause. "I sincerely hope you're wearing gloves and a surgical mask at all times during the preparation of the meal. The last thing I need is illness." Try not hugging the guy in the middle of the street. I hear it's a good way to avoid contracting viruses.

Suddenly, Benny noticed how her conversation with Scott must sound to Ryan. I can't let him think Scott and I are involved! Think, Benny, think!

"So, Scott, whatever happened with you and that guy from the gym? Did you ever end up asking him out?" There. That should let Ryan know how it is.

On the other end, Scott chuckled. "You're with a cute guy right now and you want him to know that you and I aren't an item, aren't you?" He always saw right through her. They were the soul mate-style friends. "You should bring him around tonight for dinner. No way is he getting to my girl before getting a definite thumbs-up from my side of the mountain."

Benny giggled, relieved that Scott understood the situation without any need for explanation. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. I'll pick up the milk on my way home. If you need anything else, my cell's on." A pause. "Love ya!"

She snapped he phone shut and glanced over at Ryan to see if he understood that Scott was no threat. Maybe I should explain. Just in case. They really can be stupid sometimes.

"That's my friend Scott. We met in University because we were interested in the same guy. Word to the wise: if you're chasing the same guy as your gay best friend, you're probably wrong." If that doesn't settle it, he's too thick for my liking, anyway.

Ryan visibly sighed in relied. The gay best friend. A cliché, maybe, but a relief nonetheless. "You guys are pretty close, huh?" Wow, I must be Captain Obvious.

"Yeah, he's not close with his family, and I've lived away from home since my teens, so we give each other a lot of the familial stuff that we wouldn't get otherwise." Here's my chance. "Actually, we're doing the birthday thing tonight, if you wanted to…join. Maybe afterwards I'll take you up on that offer to show me the bars." Idiot, idiot, idiot. Way to set yourself up, idiot. You don't even know if he's single. Idiot. You work together, idiot!

Ryan Wolfe's face was the definition of pure joy. "I'd love that. I don't want to…intrude though. I mean…if it's a tradition between you guys." That's right, you're not too eager to go. Then, not wanting to see too aloof, he added, "But, it does sound nice. I could use a night out."

"Great!" She responded brightly. "Scott's a great cook. We always surprise each other with our birthday dinners. I think you two will get along just fine."

They arrived at the scene, and began unpacking their kits immediately. Shortly thereafter, Benny sat down on the edge of the trunk, breathing heavily.

"Are you OK?" Ryan's voice cracked on the last syllable.

"Yeah…Scott's just getting over a flu. I'm just feeling a bit off-colour."

"Yeah, you don't look so great."

"Thanks. Happy birthday to you, too." She smiled at him weakly.

"No I meant…here." He reached into a drawer in the back of his Hummer, pulling out a variety of over-the-counter pill bottles. He handed her a round, orange pill.

"What's this?"

"Five hundred milligrams of tropical-flavoured vitamin C." He handed her another pill.

"And this is…?"

"Echinacea. When we get back to the lab I'll make you some rose hip tea. Works wonders for stomach bugs."

"Wow, Ryan, I didn't know you were so…maternal." Upon seeing the look on his face, she quickly added, "I mean that in a really good way. It's nice to be taken care of." She felt better already just because he cared.

Not knowing what to say, he just replied meekly, "Well, you know…no one likes to be sick. Least of all me." You're smooth, man. What girl doesn't want to date her MOM!

They processed the scene for four straight hours, barely speaking, as they had divided up the large property to maximize efficiency. Benny liked it, though; it was nice to throw herself into a task mindlessly, with no regard for any emotional situations in her own personal life. It was a little past 3:30 when she made the fateful mistake of opening up the washing machine. Inside was the most horrifying sight upon which she had ever laid eyes. A mangled, dismembered corpse floated in soapy water, and when she opened the lid of the machine she was struck like a punch by a stench so putrid and wretched that she immediately felt bile rising in her throat.

Breakfast all over again.

Ryan had been working the kitchen for a few hours, his obsessive-compulsive tendencies making him go painfully slow as he went over every detail meticulously, tediously. The familiar sound of Benny's footsteps behind him brought him out of his workaholic trance. She was running full-tilt. Turning around, he barely had time to recognize her before she shouldered past him, onto the driveway, and proceeded to vomit violently all over the gravel. He rushed up to her to hold her hair out of her face.

A few minutes passed, and she no longer had any food to vomit. Ryan handed her a bottle of water one of the officers had given him and she whispered her thanks to him. She looked like hell. Her face, which usually had a rosy glow, was ghostly white, her lips papery and faded. Her eyes were bloodshot and red from having been leaning down. Tears from the violent action dotted the corners of her eyes.

"I'll take you home. You shouldn't have come to work sick." But he didn't say it in an accusatory, critical tone. He was openly expressing concern for her well-being.

"Ryan…it's not the flu. I saw…" How to explain? The very memory of the sight made her feel nauseous all over again. "Check the washing machine. And--" She leaned closer, embarrassingly aware of how she must smell. Eau de nasty puke. "Don't think less of me for having reacted this way, please." Her eyes begged him to respect her.

"I'll check it out. Right after I put you in the car." She was too exhausted to protest, and she let him set her up in the front seat of his car, reclined, with the air conditioning in her face and a bottle of water in her hands.

A few minutes later, Ryan returned. If Benny's face had been white, his was nearly transparent. He was staring straight ahead as he walked to his car and sat down in the driver's seat. They didn't speak for several minutes; they just sat together in silence, both painfully reminiscing on the dreadful sight. Finally, Ryan spoke.

"I won't tell if you won't." He was referring, of course, to the physiological reaction they had both had to the desecrated corpse in the washing machine.

"I've never had a weak stomach before." She was mad at herself. She hated herself for further perpetuating the stereotype that girls couldn't handle blood and guts and gore. She had fought that stereotype for two decades, always being the first to take the plunge in an autopsy, always going two steps further than her male classmates and colleagues. "I'm not usually such a wimp. I just…the smell." She looked at him, tears standing in her eyes. "It's hard to believe it's a person. Someone that used to talk, and eat, and…they're not even a body anymore." She leaned back, heaving a mighty sigh, willing the tears away.

Six inches away, Ryan was fighting back the same tears and vomit she was. He was also fighting every instinct in his body by not taking her hand in that moment.

"My first autopsy at CSI. It was, uh…a few years ago. Cranial blunt force trauma victim. Alexx, she, uh…cut the guy's head off, and boiled it for tool impressions. I ran out after five minutes."

She smiled at him. He was trying.

"It's OK to feel sometimes, Ben. With this gig there's always a risk that you're going to become too smooth, and it won't affect you anymore. You're human." A moment's thought, and then, "That's what I like about you."

The buzzer rang. It was 8:00 in the evening. And it had been a long day. After finishing the scene (sans washing machine), Ryan and Benny had gone back to CSI to file reports. And send Delko for the body. No mention was made of "the incident", though at the end of shift, at the lockers, Ryan had asked her how she was feeling. It was between them and none others.

Now the buzzer rang in her ears for the first time since she had moved in. Seeing how she had picked Scott up at the airport, this was her first door-ringing guest.

Who is it? Delko?

She had invited him, more out of thanks for his help with the victim than anything. She liked him enough; she just wasn't all that close with him.

Calleigh?

Benny had invited the big sister she never had earlier that afternoon, pining in a strange way for her approval. And she had obliged.

Dan Cooper, the cute computer nerd?

Or even Boa Vista?

Benny wasn't naïve to the obvious tension between the beautiful cold case-analyst and two of her male co-workers (unfortunately, including Ryan), but Natalia was nice enough to Benny and she wasn't in any position to be picking and choosing friends. She had even invited Horatio, wondering cautiously if that would be crossing the line with her new boss, but, thankfully, he had previous engagements for the evening.

And now the buzzer was ringing, and she was nowhere near ready. She had only just stepped out of the shower a moment ago, and was now wrapped in a beige towel, sorting through potential outfits.

"Scott! Could you get that! I'm not decent!" But to no avail. Scott was down the street, picking up a few last-minute items for the meal.

"OK! OK! I'm coming!" Ben ran down the stairs and swung the door open.

Oh…my…dear…sweet…Lord. Idiot! Hey, Benny, isn't it logical when you're hosting a party with your co-workers at your new job, to, I don't know, put some clothes on when answering the door! No, I like to look like an idiot as much and as frequently as possible.

"Ryan! Hey! Come on in…IwasjustgettingoutoftheshowerwhenyourangandScottisn'thereright--"

"Benny…deep breath…" He inhaled and exhaled deeply as a demonstration. "Now, continue."

"I was just getting out the shower when you rang, and Scott is down the street getting some groceries. Sorry." Her face was lit aflame with embarrassment. "Come on in, though; I'll just be a minute."

"Thanks. I, uh…" He held out a large bouquet of flowers and a wrapped gift. "Happy birthday." Damn it, Ryan, it's way too much. Now she's going to think you're a huge creeper.

"Oh, Ryan! You really didn't have to at all. That is so sweet!" She made to take the extended gifts from him, but felt her towel slipping and quickly grabbed it. "Would you mind holding onto those for like one sec? Just until we get upstairs." Not the way I like guys to see me naked.

She led him up the narrow staircase, painfully aware that the towel was a bit short in back to be walking ahead of someone on a flight of stairs. They reached a well-lit hallway, smelling of fresh paint, and she turned to the first door on the left.

"It's really not much…just a place to stay until I get on my feet." They entered, and she told him to make himself comfortable while she got dressed.

"Help yourself to anything. Kitchen is through the swinging doors and you can check out what's on TV if you want. I'll be right out."

What to wear, what to wear…

Feeling more rushed than she would have liked, she put on one of the five outfits she had picked out as options for the evening. A flowing, hot pink skirt and plain white t-shirt. Turquoise jewellery. She towel-dried her hair until it was somewhat dry, and hoped for the best. When she opened the door to her bedroom, she saw Ryan sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen counter, looking at the photo album Scott had brought her. It was a few years old; they updated it every time they got together. He regarded each photo thoughtfully; pictures from school, various birthdays, parties…he couldn't help but noticing, with a hint of guilty satisfaction, that the only guy Benny seemed to be posing with was Scott.

Seems like my big competition is the gay best friend.

"Neat, eh? We've been adding to it for years. Scott was really interested in photography for a while there; it shows with the artsy pictures from third-year." She flipped back several pages and indicated a series of slanted portraits with artistic lighting and shutter tics. They continued flipping through old pictures for a few minutes, Benny pointing out the occasional shot and explaining with a humorous anecdote the history of the photograph.

"Oh, I nearly forgot the flowers!" She rushed to the counter where Ryan had put them down, and carried them gently to the kitchen sink. "Ryan…these are beautiful. You've really got taste, you know." She cut the ends, and set them up in a tall purple vase in the centre of the table.

"I also got you…" He picked up the wrapped gift and handed it to her. "This. It's nothing really. I just thought you might be interested in it." Why do my hands have to constantly shake!

Benny eagerly tore the paper off, revealing the cover of a thick novel, entitled, "Man Descending." She looked up at Ryan, ready and willing to fling her arms around him.

"You know, because…the author…Guy Vanderhaeghe…he's from Saskatchewan, right?" Oh, damn, she hates it. Should've stuck with the gift certificate. "It's, uh, his first book and it…won the Governor General's Award?" Just start apologizing now. Idiot!
"Ryan, it's…it's perfect." She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. He smells like chicory. And cute, sensitive, thoughtful, compassionate man. "Do you realize that I have been looking for a copy of this book since High School! Ryan! You're amazing!"

He didn't think. For the first time in his life, Ryan Wolfe put no thought into his actions. He moved forward, and just kissed her, like it was the most natural thing in the world. She jumped the tiniest bit at first, surprised at his sudden affection, but within a split second, she was embracing his every touch. He moved one hand to the nape of her neck, running it through her damn curls. He placed his other hand gently, ever so softly, on her hip, the tiny strip of exposed skin between her skirt and her t-shirt. He moved his body towards her, wanting to never be out of contact with her skin for another moment in his life.

I could kiss her forever.

Benny shied away from his touch for the briefest fraction of a second, shocked that he had suddenly kissed her so passionately. But now, here she was, her arms wrapped around his neck, caressing his hair playfully, her body pressed into his.

I could kiss him forever.

But, it's true of course, that all things must pass. Not much more than a minute passed, and they broke apart. Staring into each other's eyes. Benjamin Rhiannon Wallace was truly, completely content for the first time since she had moved to Miami.

He has such beautiful eyes.