III

Natalia narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow in the deepest of thought, chewing her bottom lip idly. This was a very important decision, one that could very well make or break her entire day.

Eggs and bacon or pancakes?

She stood barefoot, bouncing on the balls of her feet, in her kitchen wearing her silk bathrobe, her hair still wet from the shower as she scoured the contents of her refrigerator. She quietly chuckled at herself for her child-like excitement for a home-cooked breakfast for a change. Usually it was a muffin and coffee to go as she ran out the door to work, but she always treated herself to something special on her days off.

Finally making up her mind, Natalia pulled out the carton of eggs, a package of bacon, butter and a bag of shredded cheese. After depositing all of that on her counter, she went back for the orange juice and a container of yogurt. Natalia began humming softly as she bent down to get a frying pan from under the sink and place it on the stove.

Just as Natalia was about to crack the first egg into the mixing bowl, her cell phone rang. She put the egg back in the carton and scurried over to the table to answer the call.

Her stomach sank slightly when she saw it was Horatio calling.

There was usually only one reason why he ever called anyone on their day off.

She forced a smile on her face and flipped open her phone, holding it to her ear.

"Hello?" she answered in the most cheerful voice she could muster.

"Good morning, Miss Boa Vista," came Horatio's low, gravelly voice through the speaker.

"Hi, H," she saidtightly, fighting to stay positive. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry, I know it's your day off...," he began.

"But you need me to come in to the lab...?" Natalia finished tentatively.

His silence was enough of an answer. Natalia bit back a sigh of frustration as she closed her eyes and threw her head back in exasperation. She swallowed her feelings of annoyance.

"Okay, I can be there in half an hour," she told him, straining to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "If you don't mind my asking, who called in sick?"

If it was Liz again, I'm going to strangle her, Natalia thought viciously, angrily picturing the new DNA analyst who'd already used three sick days this month.

"It was Ryan."

Natalia froze. She frowned, thinking surely she had heard that incorrectly.

"Ryan? Ryan Wolfe?"

"Yes."

Her disappointment melted into confusion and a touch of worry. "Ryan Wolfe," she repeated numbly. "CSI Ryan Wolfe. The guy who's never missed a day of work in his life?"

Horatio's lack of answer served as an affirmation.

"Is he okay?" she asked, starting to put her breakfast ingredients back in the refrigerator.

"He sounded very sick over the phone," Horatio said simply. "I'm sure he's fine."

"I don't know, if Ryan called in sick he must be either dead or dying," Natalia said dryly.

She could hear the smile in his voice. "See you soon."

"Bye, H."

Natalia hung up the phone. She finished putting away all her breakfast things and began climbing the stairs back up to her bedroom to get dressed.

Looks like it's coffee and toast today after all, she thought wryly.


Author's Note: Ryan owes Nat an omelette lol. What's wrong with Ryan? Will Natalia ever get her awesome breakfast? Only time will tell ;P. Stay tuned for more! Reviews rock! :D