Saturday
Maybe some day
Ryan woke up to his phone ringing. He rolled over and answered it without even opening his eyes. "Wolfe" he mumbled against his pillow.
"Ryan, its Horatio."
"Hey H, what's up?"
"Ryan, Walter called in sick and we need another person. Would you be willing to come in and work? I'll give you Monday off in exchange."
"Yeah, no problem, I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Take your time, Mr. Wolfe, we'll wait for you."
Ryan hung up his phone and rolled over in his bed. "I don't want to get out of bed though." He muttered to his self. Ryan laid there for a moment. He groaned as he climbed from the bed.
Ryan wandered over to his dresser and started rummaging through the drawers. His hand brushed against something soft and hard. Ryan pulled out the Tiffany ring box. He looked at it and rolled it over in his hand. He opened it and looked at the ring inside. It shined in the morning light that poured through the windows.
Ryan sighed and shut the box. He tucked it back in amongst his socks and boxers.
"Maybe some day" he said to himself.
Jessica sped down the highway. She lifted her phone and looked at the screen. She watched as the time went from 4:59am to 6:00am. Jessica chuckled to herself. "Check it out Mom, I just traveled through time."
Ryan rode with Jesse to the scene. They were investigating a breaking and entering in a private neighborhood. Someone had broken in a window and assaulted the resident. She was in the hospital where Calleigh was documenting her injuries.
Ryan looked out the window and smiled. "My uncle used to live in this neighborhood."
"When you were growing up?" Jesse asked.
"No, when I was in college. Uncle Ron and Rachael lived in one of these houses while I was attending Florida State. I stayed there during breaks and summer. Eh, I guess I did kind of live here."
"Why did Uncle Ron move?"
Ryan chuckled. "He didn't, crazy old man got himself kicked out."
Jesse laughed. "What did he do?"
"Set fireworks off at three in the morning. A few of them hit someone's garden shed. Blew the place straight up into the air. He was thrown out of the neighborhood and his picture was hung up in every fireworks shop in Florida with a notice not to sell to. He hasn't had a Roman candle since."
Jesse laughed so hard he had tears form in his eyes. "Geez Ryan, living with him must have been hell on your OCD."
"Eh, it wasn't too bad. It was interesting though, never a boring moment."
"I bet he and Jessica got along great."
"Like two peas in a pod. Anytime they were together I think their goal was to make me as miserable as possible. They would move stuff around on me, hide my hand sanitizer, and she would always sit on the damn counter. She knew it drove me crazy when she did."
Jesse laughed. "You two made the weirdest couple. I could see you guys as an old married couple; Jessica still screwing around with your rituals and the whole number thing."
Ryan got quiet. He looked out the window. Jesse could sense his tension and he wished he could take back what he just said. "I'm sorry Ryan I wasn't thinking-"
"It's alright Jesse." Ryan said, cutting him off. "It's cool, I understand."
Jesse gripped the wheel tighter and looked straight ahead. "I'm really sorry Ryan."
"Jesse, I said it was fine. I know you weren't trying to taunt me. Everyone makes mistakes." He gave Jesse a reassuring smile.
Ryan looked back out the window. Jesse didn't know what to say, he felt awkward just sitting there. "Horatio told me you stayed at your place last night."
Ryan nodded his head. "Yeah, and he probably told you about the other night when I woke up frickin dying."
"Yeah, he did." Jesse responded, "He wanted me to keep an eye out for you yesterday." Jesse tried to give him a reassuring smile. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better."
"Thanks Jesse, you've been a great friend this week. You've really helped me get through this."
They sat there as the Hummer slowly drove through the neighborhood. "Are you doing anything tonight?" Jesse asked him, trying to keep Ryan distracted.
Ryan sighed. "Yeah, I'm going over to Jessica's place to get the rest of my stuff."
Jesse's stomach turned. "I'm sorry Ryan, I'm just striking out here."
"It's alright; it doesn't hurt to talk about it anymore." Ryan paused for a moment. "I'm pawning her ring later tonight."
"Are you really?" Jesse asked surprised.
"Yeah, I am." Ryan responded, "It's time I moved on. The longer I keep it the more it's going to hurt me. After the first one I kept the ring for almost two years. It hurt every time I saw it. The day I sold it I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I can't keep clinging to the past. If I do then I'll never have a future."
Jesse smiled and placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder. He squeezed it gently. "That's the Ryan I know."
Jessica had to pee. She had to pee now! With all the caffeine pumping through her system it felt like she had to stop every hour to piss. She eventually got tired of stopping so she started holding it until her bladder hurt and she thought she would piss her pants.
There wouldn't be another rest stop for sixty miles according to the sign she had just passed. She could pull off at a gas station but the next sign said there wouldn't be one for another seven miles. Jessica couldn't wait.
She pulled off to the side of the highway. She turned her car off, turned on the hazards, and climbed out through the passenger door, locking it on her way out. She ran towards the woods and jumped the fence intended to keep animals off the highway. Jessica ran as fast as she could. She stopped about three hundred feet from the road. She dropped her pants and squatted to the ground. The sudden relief she felt was incredible. Jessica couldn't think of a time she had enjoyed pissing so much.
When she was finally done she kicked dirt over the spot, as she zipped her jeans. Jessica ran back to her car and climbed back in through the passenger side. She cracked open another energy drink and downed half of it. She knew it would her piss again within the next hour and Jessica decided she wasn't going to try and hold it anymore. Though it delayed her return to Miami she didn't think she would get as lucky next time.
The victim had been released from the hospital and Calleigh had brought her to the lab. Ryan and Jesse were suppose to interview her and try to figure out who could have broken into her house.
Ryan looked at the young woman sitting in the interview room alone. She looked frightened and her eyes seemed to dart around the room. Ryan had seen that same look before and his heart went out to the young woman.
"Jessica Franklin," Calleigh said as she walked up to him. "She's twenty-four years old and just graduated from Miami University with her Masters in English. It seems our perp broken in through a window on the back of the house and raped her in her own bed."
"Poor girl" Ryan said.
"Jesse asked if I conduct the interview with you instead of him." Calleigh said, "This is your case but he thinks having two men in the room might make her uncomfortable. What do you think?"
"I think that's a great idea." Ryan replied, "You also saw her at the hospital, which might help put her at ease."
"Alright, let's do this." Calleigh said, holding the door open for Ryan.
They walked into the room. The young woman shifted in her seat and her eyes grew wide at the sight of Ryan. He slowly approached the table and sat down in the chair across from her. He didn't speak right away, instead he looked through her file. Ryan finally looked at her and the young woman met his eyes for a moment before they darted away.
"Hi Jessica," Ryan said, "My name's Ryan Wolfe. I'm an investigator and I wanted to ask you some questions about what happened, is that alright with you?"
The woman sat there silently but nodded her head.
"Ok," Ryan said, trying to think of something to put her at ease. "You know you don't have to answer any questions you want to, but all the information you can give me will help, ok?"
She nodded her head again, blinking rapidly, obviously trying to hold back tears.
Ryan smiled at her. "You just finished your Masters?" She nodded. Ryan smiled at her. "That's great, must be a weight off your shoulders." Another nod. "I know when I finished mine I was so relieved. All that work, man that was some major stress. But what I never understood was when someone earns their Doctrine they're called Doctor. When I earned my Masters no one ever called me 'Master Wolfe.'"
The young woman chuckled and a smile graced her face. "I never thought about it that way." She quietly said. "Maybe that's what I should do."
"If you'd like I can write Master Franklin in my report." Ryan continued to joke with a smile.
She smiled at him. "No, you can just call me Jessica."
"Alright Jessica" Ryan smiled, "That's a beautiful name."
"Thank you, it was my mother's name."
"Just like my Jessica." Ryan was caught off guard by his own words.
"Your daughter?"
"No, my, uh, my girlfriend." Ryan didn't think mentioning Jessica was no longer his girlfriend was a wise idea. "She actually just graduated from Miami University, too."
Jessica's eyes grew wide. "You mean that girl that just earned her third Doctrine? You're dating her!"
Ryan smiled weakly. "Yeah, that's my girl." Ryan felt Calleigh's hand rest on his shoulder. She squeezed it reassuringly, letting him know she understood his white lie.
Her head was pounding. The lights seemed too bright and every sound too loud. But she didn't have time to think about it. She needed to get home. She needed to be with him.
Jessica pushed on the gas to try and make the car go faster. The needle was on empty and she didn't have her emergency gas canister in the car. Why had she left it in Miami? Oh right, because gas canisters were not allowed on airplanes. Duh, how could she be so dumb?
Then she saw the sign for a gas station. She veered off the highway at a speed that was just a little too fast, almost causing her car to flip. She slowed down and continued her drive at a more reasonable speed. She pulled into the gas station and jammed the pump into her tank. Jessica walked into the convenience store. She bought another cup of coffee and a few energy drinks. She paid for them along with her gas at the counter. The teenage attendant eyeing her over like she was a piece of meat.
"Don't bother, I have a boyfriend." Jessica sneered at him.
She climbed back into her car and sped out of the gas station. She was so close to being home. Just a few more hours and she would be with Ryan again.
Ryan looked at the man Frank's patrol had brought in. James Calvin, he lived a few blocks away from the victim in another neighborhood. He had been spotted riding his bike through the neighborhood the night before, just before the break in at Jessica Franklin's house. He was sleevy looking and Ryan didn't like him already. He tried not to let his emotions get the best of him though. He knew his opinion was based on the fact that his name was James.
They had found Calvin's hair in the bedroom and the footprints outside the house were the same size and style as Calvin's. Samples from Jessica's SAE kit still had yet to be tested, Ryan was sure it was Calvin who had raped her.
"Why did you do it?" Ryan bluntly asked him.
"Do what?" Calvin asked, playing dumb.
"You raped Jessica Franklin."
"I didn't do anything."
"You broke into her house and you raped her."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did, we have evidence you were there, that you broke the window and climbed through it, that you raped Jessica Franklin."
Calvin leaned forward and his eyes narrowed. "I want a lawyer."
Ryan let out an exasperated breathe and shook his head. "Fine" he said, knowing there was nothing else he could do at that point until Calvin's lawyer showed up.
Ryan walked out of the interview room and met Jesse in the hall. "He lawyered up." Ryan told him, "So let's see what else we can find before his lawyer gets here."
"Alright," Jesse said, "Have you had lunch yet?"
Ryan shook his head. "No I was getting ready to when Frank brought in this guy."
"Well why don't you get something to eat." Jesse suggested.
"Yeah, I think that sound like a good idea." Ryan said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Ryan drove to the deli down the street and bought himself a sandwich and a drink. He ate in the break room alone in silence, enjoying the alone time. Ryan felt suddenly tired. He folded his arms on the table and laid his head down, his forehead resting on his arms. He took slow, deep breathes and before he knew it he felt sleep overcoming him. Ryan didn't fight it. He just let himself drift into a deep sleep.
He was standing in the road. He didn't recognize anything around him. It was the middle of the day though, he could tell that much. There was a car driving towards him. Ryan tried to run but he couldn't move. The car sped at him. Ryan held his arms in front of his face and cowered in fear. The car passed right through him. Ryan stood there and looked at the place where the car had been. How was he not dead?
Then another distraction drew his attention away from the car. His arms were bleeding, huge cuts slicing down the length of his arms. Ryan tried to stop the bleeding but it seemed the more he tried the more he bled. Another car drove through him but Ryan paid it no attention. He had to get the bleeding to stop. He was going to die from the amount of blood he was loosing.
Another car drove towards him. Ryan panicked when he felt himself grow weak. Ryan heard the car stop and looked up to see a blue SUV stopped in front of him, just ten feet away. Ryan looked back at his arms and the blood was suddenly running backwards, back into his arms. Ryan watched as the cuts began to diminish. He looked back at the SUV as the driver climbed out. She looked at him and just stared.
Ryan held up his arms and watched as the blood disappeared and the cuts sealed their selves back up. He smiled and looked at her. His heart swelled with delight at the site of her. She didn't look well, she seemed exhausted. He wanted to hold her but he still couldn't move. He looked at her and pleaded with his eyes.
"Please Jessica," he said, "Come home. I need you. You are my soul."
Tears began to run down her cheeks as she looked at him. "Without you I'm incomplete" Jessica whispered.
Then she began to fade away. Ryan felt someone shake his shoulder and his eyes snapped open.
He was back in the break room, his face flat against the table now and his arms stretched out in front of him, palms up. He slowly sat up and looked at his arms. He quickly pulled the sleeves of his suit jacket and shirt up. There was nothing there. He knew there wouldn't be anything, but the dream had been so real and had freaked him out.
"Ryan, are you alright?" he heard someone asked. He turned to see Horatio standing over him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Ryan said, shoving his sleeves back down. "I just fell asleep after eating my lunch, that's all."
Horatio chuckled. "Sorry about calling you in this morning."
"Oh it's fine," Ryan said, brushing it off. "You needed me. I'm just a little tired, that's all."
"It's been a long week, hasn't it?"
Ryan nodded his head. "Yeah, the longest of my life."
Horatio smiled reassuringly and squeezed Ryan's shoulder. "Let's get back to work, I hear you have a man to convict."
Ryan smiled at his boss. "Yeah, I do, for Jessica." Horatio looked at him confused. "Jessica Franklin, the victim."
Jessica had been driving for forty-two hours. She was in Florida and only had a few more hours worth of driving left. She was determined to make it back to the crime lab before everyone left for the day. She had to see him there. She had to see him again. She would get there about five o'clock in the afternoon at this rate. Jessica just had to see Ryan again.
Then suddenly there was a man standing in the middle of her lane. Jessica screamed and slammed on her brakes. She pulled her car off to the side of the highway and pulled her cell phone out. She dialed 911 as she ran back to find the man, but there was no one.
"911 what is your emergency?" the female operator answered. Jessica stood there dazed and confused. There has been a man in the road. She hit him. She heard him hit her car, hadn't she?
"Hello? Is anyone there?" the operator asked.
"I'm sorry, I think I just pocket dialed you." Jessica said.
"That's alright ma'am, it happens all the time. You're not hurt are you?"
"No, no I'm not. I'm terribly sorry."
"Like I said that's alright ma'am. I'm just glad to hear there isn't an emergency. Have a good day and don't forget to lock your keys on your cell phone." The line clicked and Jessica heard a dial tone. She lowered her phone and hung up.
Jessica ran a little farther down the highway. There was nothing. There was no evidence that someone had been plowed down by her car. She ran back to her car and around to the front. There was nothing wrong with her car. She looked under it and found nothing again. Jessica stood there confused and looked down the stretch of highway.
There! She could see the man again! She jumped into her car and sped to him. She stopped just in front of him and looked at him. It was Jesse Cardoza. He smiled at her and waved. Jessica jumped from the car and ran to him. Then Jesse was gone.
Jessica stood there and stared at the spot Jesse had just occupied. She looked down the highway and there was another person. Jessica hopped in her car and took off towards them.
As she got closer she could see this person was a woman. It was Calleigh. She was jumping and waving at Jessica. Calleigh smiled her huge shining grin. When Jessica started to slow down Calleigh shook her head and gestured for Jessica to keep going. Jessica hit the accelerator and sped down the asphalt. She looked in her rear view mirror to see Calleigh had disappeared.
Then there was someone else on the side of the road. It was Eric. He waved to her and Jessica sped past him. She saw Eric in her mirror give her a thumbs up before he disappeared.
Then Walter was standing in the road. He stepped to the side and held his arm out. He winked at Jessica as she drove past.
Tom was standing in the middle of the road performing an autopsy. He looked at Jessica's car and pushed his table out of her way.
Natalia smiled and waved her arms above her head. She yelled something but Jessica couldn't hear her. Natalia blew her a kiss and waved as Jessica passed her.
Travers held up samples on cotton swabs and juggled to keep his hold as Jessica's car caused a breeze when she flew by.
Frank was yelling at a suspect sitting in a chair. He stopped and smiled at Jessica and waved when she passed him.
Then there he was, standing there in the middle of the road. He wasn't moving. Jessica slammed on her breaks and her car came to a screeching halt. She couldn't bring herself to hit him or get out of her car. She looked at him. He smiled and held out his arms. He had blood running down each of his forearms. Jessica jumped from the car and ran to him. She stood there and looked at him. He smiled and the blood began running backwards. Then the cuts on his arms faded. He looked at her. His eyes were glowing, he was happy, he didn't need her.
"Please Jessica," he said, "Come home. I need you. You are my soul."
Jessica felt tears run down her cheeks. "Without you I'm incomplete" she whispered.
Ryan looked at her one last time before he vanished into thin air.
"No Ryan!" Jessica screamed, "Please come back!" She tripped and fell to the ground. Then she remembered she was the one that had left. She was the one that had to go back. Jessica jumped up and ran back to her car. She needed to get back to Ryan before he was gone forever.
Jessica slammed onto the accelerator and the car lurked forward. She didn't slow down for anything and she wasn't going to until she was home with Ryan.
That was it, the case was over. After hours of fighting with Calvin he finally confessed to breaking into Jessica Franklin's house and raping her. He admitted he had been stalking her and declared he fell in love with her.
Ryan watched him as he was escorted out of the building. He walked outside and watched him be placed in a patrol car.
Ryan looked out into the vast parking lot, the ocean in the distance. The sun was shining and it was still warm outside. He sighed as he watched the car drive away. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and turned to see Jesse and Horatio flanking him on either side. He smiled at his friends and looked back out at the parking lot.
"You did good today Ryan." Jesse said, "You worked hard and you caught the guy."
"Yeah, I just followed the evidence. It wasn't hard, I knew he was guilty from the start."
"How are you feeling Ryan?" Horatio asked him.
Ryan sighed and looked at his boss. "Well I'm feeling better. It still hurts, but I have to move on. I can't stay stuck here somewhere between the past and the future. This is my life now. I just have to accept that fact. Unfortunately it has to be one without her, but I can do this. I'm going to have to live without her, but that doesn't mean I have to stop loving her."
"Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said, "That's a very inspiring statement." He smiled at the young man and grasped his shoulder. "I'm glad you're better."
They heard tires squealing and they could see a car peeling into the parking lot. "Oh look," Jesse said, "I think our next case might be coming to us right now."
A blue SUV swerved into the parking lot and sped through the crowd. Ryan, Jesse, and Horatio walked forward and stood on the steps, watching the car. "You think he's drunk?" Jesse asked. "I don't know," Horatio said, "But I think we're about to find out."
The SUV came to a screeching halt just outside the crime lab, one wheel up on the curb. The car turned off and the driver jumped out. Ryan walked towards the car, staring at it. The driver ran around the front and stumbled over her own feet. She stopped and stared at him.
Her hair was rumpled and dirty, like she hadn't showered in days. There were dark circles under her eyes, hidden behind the black framed glasses. She was wearing a blue t-shirt under a black and white striped hoodie. His blue t-shirt.
"Jessica?" Ryan said.
Jessica stared at him for a moment, her eyes huge and wild. Then she was running, running towards him. No, she was running to him. Ryan stood there for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. He started running, running to her. She stumbled as she ran. He stopped at the bottom of the steps and she jumped into his arms. She smashed her lips onto his and he wrapped her arms around her. Ryan pulled Jessica close and held her tight. He kissed her back and felt her tears run onto his face.
She finally broke from their kiss and held his face as she sobbed.
"I'm sorry Ryan! I'm so sorry! I love you so much! Please forgive me, take me back! I can't live without you! I love you more than anything else in this world! Please Ryan, I'm so sorry!"
Ryan pulled her against his body as she sobbed into his shirt. He placed his hand on the back of her head and just held her. He felt tears stream down his face and he smelled her hair. He held her, unable to believe it was all real.
"I love you Jessica." He said, burring his face into her hair. "Everything's going to be alright, you're home now."
Jessica leaned back from his arms and looked into Ryan's eyes. "Ryan…" she quietly said. Her eyelids fell shut and her grip on his arms loosened. She sank slowly to the ground and Ryan scooped her into his arms. He sank to his knees and sat back on his heels. Ryan held Jessica in his arms and looked at her lifeless face. He watched his tears drip onto her face and he stroked his hand over her hair. "Jessica?" he whispered.
Horatio watched his daughter run from her car and towards Ryan. He stood there for a moment and then he started running to her. She jumped into his arms and she kissed him. Horatio heard her sobs and begging as she spewed apologies at him. She shook and Ryan said something to her Horatio couldn't hear. Ryan sank to the ground with Jessica in his arms.
Horatio ran to them. He stopped and knelt beside Ryan. He touched Jessica's face and felt her neck. He placed his hand on her chest and felt her breathing. "She's alive" he said. "But what's wrong with her?" Ryan choked out.
"Hey guys, I think I know what's up." They both turned to see Jesse standing next to the blue SUV. He opened the back passenger door. Tons of coffee cups and energy drink cans came pouring out onto the ground. Different brands, different stores, different sizes and strengths. Horatio watched in amazement as the ground became littered with them. He walked over to the car and picked one up. "She's hasn't slept" he muttered. "She drank these to keep her awake."
"How long do you think she was awake?" Jesse asked.
"I don't know." Horatio responded, "I would guess it would take a few days to get from Denver to Miami. I called her Thursday night and begged her to come home then."
"Do you think she left then?"
Horatio shook his head. "I don't know and I don't think we'll find out until she wakes up." He turned to look at his daughter still unconscious in Ryan's arms. Ryan still had tears running down his face and he was still stroking her hair. Horatio walked over to him and knelt to the ground. "Take her home Ryan. Take her home and let her sleep. She needs to sleep. She needs you."
Ryan looked at Horatio, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. "She said she loved me. She finally said it. I've waited two months to hear her say it and she said it. She does love me. She really does love me."
Horatio placed his hand on the back of Ryan's neck. He looked into his red rimmed hazel eyes. "She never stopped loving you."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm the dad."
Ryan couldn't help but chuckle. "Thank you Horatio, thank you for everything. Thank you for taking care of me this week, for saving my life, for giving me hope when I didn't have any." Ryan looked deep into Horatio's eyes. "And thank you for giving me your daughter. She's an incredible person, just like her father."
Horatio smiled and hugged the young man. "Everything's going to be alright Mr. Wolfe. Jessica's home and you're together again. Take her home, let her sleep, be with her. It's not often we get a second chance at love. Take her home and love her Ryan."
Ryan sobbed against Horatio's shoulder for a few minutes before he was able to recompose himself. He sat there and looked at Jessica one last time. He struggled to stand and Horatio helped pull him the rest of the way up. Horatio walked with Ryan as they walked to the employee parking lot. He unlocked the doors to Ryan's Venza as Ryan gently placed her in the passenger seat. Ryan looked at her and more tears fell. He buckled her in and shut the door.
Ryan turned back to Horatio. He rubbed the tears from his eyes and looked at his boss. "Thank you Horatio" he quietly said. Horatio pulled Ryan into his arms and hugged him again. "Take her home Ryan. Don't worry about her car, she left the keys in the ignition. I'll take care of everything. Just take care of my daughter."
Ryan climbed into his car and looked at the sleeping Jessica. He stroked her face with the back of his fingers for a moment and then started his car. Ryan drove on autopilot. He ended up at Jessica's apartment complex. He carried her up to her condo and into her bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed. He pulled off her shoes and the hoodie and slipped her glasses off her face. He carefully removed her jeans, since he knew Jessica hated sleeping in jeans, though he didn't think she could even tell at that point. He reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her phone. The GPS was still activated. "Arriving at Home" it flashed across the screen.
Ryan watched her sleep for a while before he went and checked to see the door was locked. He wandered back into the bedroom and looked at the bed. He suddenly felt exhausted and couldn't keep his eyes open. Ryan pulled off his suit and button down shirt. He pulled on a t-shirt and climbed into the bed in just his boxers and the shirt. He laid on his side and looked at Jessica's sleeping body. He moved closer and stroked her face again. She rolled onto her side and cuddled up against him. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed. Ryan knew he heard her say his name and he smiled to himself, knowing she really was home.
