Ryan sprinted, the music thudding in his ears. He pulled his headphones out when Carrie caught up to him. He moved towards her. "Let's paint this town red…" He pulled her by the waist and started laughing. "… Like Carrie." Carrie laughed as he dipped her and slapped him as he kept lowering her.

"Ryan!" Carrie laughed. He pulled her up. She leaned on his shoulder as the walked back to the car. "Are your work friends coming tomorrow?"

"Yeah…"

"You don't sound too happy."

"I'm just… I'm used to having my personal life and professional life separate. I'm feeling very close to the boundary right now."

Carrie looked up at him. "Maybe you should take a step over the boundary. It might be good for you." She squeezed his hand

"You will come over, first thing tomorrow?"

"Of course. I promise" She grinned up at him. "Race you to the car," and she took off at full speed.

Ryan stared out the window. Ron came up behind him. "You coming outside soon?"

"She's not here yet."

"Who?"

"Carrie."

Ron smirked. "She'll be here soon."

Two cars pulled up outside. "Oh god." Ryan ran into the kitchen, which was surprisingly neat and tidy for a child's birthday party.

Ron got the door. "Hello!" he greeted.

Ryan felt his face going red as he quickly downed a soda. He could feel the boundary coming closer and closer and… He beamed at his colleagues. "HI!" He frowned and turned to Ron. "I think the soda's gone to my head."

Ron smiled. "Need a hand with anything?"

"Can you check on Carrie?"

At that moment the front door burst open. Carrie danced in in a black and white chequered sun dress. "Never fear. The party's here," she grinned as she did a dance. She said hi to Ron as he walked out.

"Um, here…" Calleigh held out four presents. "I know you said not to but."

"One's from me, one's from Alexx, one's from Eric and one's from Calleigh and Natalia," Horatio said.

"Hey, how come I didn't get a 'you don't have to'?" she said as she threw the presents on the couch and kicked off her flip-flops. She turned to the team and Natalia was staring at her.

"Because you always do." Jack ran into the room, wearing trunks and red in the face. "Uh, guys, this is Jack, the eldest."

Jack pushed his glasses back up his face. "Uh, hi…" He turned to Ryan. "Uh, Ava wants some cake."

Carrie tapped him with her foot. "Ava wants cake or you want cake?"

"You want cake."

Carrie took a deep breath and turned to Ryan. "He really knows the way to my heart."

Ryan nodded. "Great, where's the cake?" Carrie froze. He face fell and she slowly turned back to Ryan. "You forgot the cake."

She reached into her bag and tossed him her keys. "It's in the fridge. Run, run for your life now!"

Ryan pointed at her. "Hold the fort."

Carrie smiled at the team. "Let's go outside."

She liked the team, and the team liked her. All but one. Natalia was very quiet and, whenever Carrie looked, she was giving her cold stares.

Ryan joined them with Ava in his arms. "Well, the cake wasn't in the fridge… It was in the freezer. The cake should be deforsted in about fifteen minutes"

Carrie rested her head on her knee. "I'm sorry. You have been very calm though."

"I kicked your sofa."

"Eh, whatever helps." Jack appeared out of nowhere with a water gun and sprayed Carrie right in the face.

"Jack!"

Carrie stood up. "Jack, I'm going to kill you," and she began chasing him… into a swarm of armed and ready three year olds. Carrie took Jack's gun and quickly returned fire.

As Ryan watched Carrie and Jack look at the pictures of the day, his mind wondered back to a conversation he had with Calleigh.

Ryan carefully wrapped the plaster around the minute cut on his finger.

Calleigh walked in. "Hey. You know, you've got great kids.""Thanks."

"And an amazing support system.""They're great."

"You know you two would make a cute couple."

"Who? Me and Natalila?" His stomach lurched forward.

"No. You and Carrie."

His stomach settled and he smiled. "It wouldn't work. It didn't work before." "Well, things are different now, aren't they?"Perfect timing as usual, Carrie bounced into the room. Calleigh moved slowly away. "Aw, does ickle Ryan have a boo boo?" She took his finger and kissed it. "Better?" she asked.

"Yeah…"

Ryan couldn't shake the thought: it felt nice when she took care of him and it felt nice when she was around him in general. Putting the kids to bed, he braced himself.

Carrie sat on the sofa flicking through a fashion magazine she had left there. "Can I take this?" Ryan nodded his head as he sat beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder and looked up at him. "So… how does it feel crossing the boundary?"

"You tell me." He looked down at her and as soon as their eyes locked he knew he to try. He bent his head down and kissed her.