Sorry for the lack-of-update on this (and my other) story(ies). I could make more excuses, but I won't. Here be the chapter!
Roughly a month later...
She caught Jesse's eye as he walked in so on-time that he was almost late. Natalia was working on hairs from a recent robbery in the DNA lab, her pure lab coat hiding the perfect curves that Jesse was (very) sure were underneath. He kissed her quickly and discreetly after taking a look around. No one else on the team knew yet about their rendezvous a month earlier, and many other times after that. They had no idea how long they could keep it away from their friends, but it wouldn't stay bottled up for much longer with the way they acted around each other.
"Mister Cardoza," said a familiar voice. Jesse turned around to see none other than Rick Stetler, IAB rat. Jesse silently prayed that Stetler hadn't seen the kiss. Romance in the workplace was strictly against IAB law.
"Yes?" Jesse answered catiously.
"I need to speak to you about your events in Los Angeles."
Horatio had told Jesse this was coming. Jesse did exactly what Horatio told him to, "You can speak to Internal Affairs in L.A. for that. There's nothing you need that they can't give you."
Stetler gave a scowl and walked off. Horatio's recent trip to California had not only cleared Jesse's name, but stopped him from wondering what he did wrong all that time ago. Horatio even put a man who killed his own wife, and Jesse's wife, behind bars before he could hurt anyone else.
"Way to handle him." Natalia said as she lie her hand on his shoulder. Jesse nodded, deep in thought.
"Should we tell them?" he finally asked.
"Why hide it in the first place?" she responded. He pondered this for a few moments. Why did they hide it? Were they ashamed? Natalia was beautiful, so there was nothing to be ashamed of on his part. Jesse then waited for someone to walk by before making the next move. Calliegh.
"Good point." he whispered. With that, he had Natalia pinned to the wall, their mouths inseparable. Just as Jesse planned, Calliegh saw everything, even the bits on tongue they slipped each other.
"Excuse me?" Calliegh chuckled, walking closer. Jesse spun around with a smile.
"How long has this been going on?" She continued.
"About a month." Natalia answered.
"Why didn't you let me know?" Calliegh mused.
"I guess we never got around to it," said Jesse, still grinning ear-to-ear. Calliegh shot Natalia a 'details later' look as she went on her way. This would soon be break room talk.
Ryan poured his coffee in the break room, groggy from his late movie night. Horror flicks until three in the morning. Walter sat on the couch with a sliced orange, energetic as ever. The two looked odd in Calliegh's eyes, but not as odd as what she just witnessed. She didn't want to spread a rumor, but then again, Natalia and Jesse didn't seem to mind.
"So," she started, "Did you guys hear about Natalia and Jesse?"
"What about 'em?" Ryan voiced, attempting to sound awake.
"Uhm... Nevermind then." Calliegh said.
"Come on, Calliegh. You can't do that to us." Walter pryed.
"Really, Cal. Just tell us." Ryan nodded.
She decided to go ahead and say it, "I saw the two of them kissing, a lot. They told me it's been going on for a month or so."
Walter snickered. Ryan's face fell. Calliegh noticed the look on his face, "What is it Ryan?"
"I'm just tired. I was up all night." He faked.
Going back to the previous subject, Walter exclaimed, "I swear I saw this one coming! Called it!"
Ryan nodded and walked out quickly, feeling like he might be sick. Calliegh watched him leave, not at all buying the 'I'm just tired,' act.
Ryan sat in his car, brooding. He had liked Natalia from day one. He despised her ex-husband for what he did to her, and couldn't stand when her and Eric were together. All he could do was hope it would blow over, pray it wouldn't last. He quickly composed himself and went back in to pretend he was just tired.
Sorry about this chapter... really.
Calliegh will confront him about this. As for my views on R/N, I feel like it isn't mutual. Like, Ryan likes her, but she doesn't like him back. I also feel like R/N shippers put those two together because people were already into Hiphuggers when Nat showed up, so they were the only two left. No offense to y'all.