A/N: I wouldn't allow myself to read or review anyone else's stories until I finished this update (which is really hard! I love fanfiction!) Anyway, I'm giving you an extra long chapter. I'm not too thrilled about it, so let me know how you feel about it. I'm mostly concerned about OOC moments. =). Btw: I love all of your reviews! You peeps are outstanding.
Snapping the two locks on the door, Natalia stood back and scrunched her face. Maybe I need more…
Brushing the negative thoughts away, the female CSI maneuvered around the watchful patrolman who strived to keep his jealousy of a quiet home hidden.
God, he thought, I cannot wait to get a place of my own. Though, now was not the time for such fantasies as his current assignment distanced herself from the officer, him attempting to catch up to her.
A light bump from behind caused Natalia to chuckle. Twirling herself around, she came face to face with the younger, eager cop whose face remained stern.
"Stephen," she began with a smile, "you don't have to follow me everywhere in my house."
"It's Officer Wyzgowski," the brown-haired man corrected her as he stood at attention, "and with all due respect, Ma'am, I do need to follow you."
Rolling her eyes, Natalia turned back around and headed into the kitchen, nonchalantly kicking her heels to the side and placing her purse on the countertop.
"Do you want anything, Ste- Wyzgowski?" she shouted before she realized he was standing next to her. Of course…
"Thank you, Ma'am, but I'm on duty," Stephen mentioned, his body as stiff as before. "I need to stay alert."
"Ugh," Natalia grumbled, her head inside the refrigerator before she pulled out a chilled water bottle, "Please, don't call me 'Ma'am.' I'm not that old."
Patiently, she waited for the officer's affirmed nod which seemed to take more energy than the officer had. After a quick grin, Natalia briskly stepped to his side, the motivation of a relaxing nap sketched in her mind. She could almost envision her bed and its comfortable sheets, a mental sigh beginning to escape her mouth as she walked to her bedroom.
Pausing, the CSI realized she was being followed yet again. Slumping her shoulders down, Natalia once again twirled around to see her newly acquired shadow.
God, was I ever like this?
"You're not going to follow me to my bedroom as well, are you?" Natalia inquired, attempting to not sound ungrateful for his services.
"Yes, Ma-," Stephen sheepishly cleared his throat, "Ms. Boa Vista," he continued as his stature was re-composed. "Lieutenant Caine ordered me to keep a close watch on you."
"Officer," Natalia sighed, "relax. You don't need to take that request to the letter." Backing up to the bedroom's door, Natalia blindingly searched for the doorknob and grasped it tight. "I'm about to take a bath, and I don't need you watching, okay? Besides, I'm pretty sure I'm safe in my own bedroom."
"But—," he protested as Natalia lifted up her hand to cut him off.
"Seriously, Stephen," she insisted, purposely staring him straight in the eyes as the other hand gently pushed the door open a couple of inches. "I'll be fine." Slinking into the room, back first, Natalia slammed the wooden door shut and rested her head against it.
Alone, finally! she thought with a smile. Exhaling with closed eyes, Natalia leaned back against the door before taking a step forward.
Something soft was beneath her right foot. She stared down, lifting her bare toes to see a single pink rose petal. Her eyes gradually ascended from petal to petal until her view was pervaded with a room drowning in thousands of shredded flowers. Upon her bed, more petals were spread but delicately creating the path of a heart, a fifth note in the center of the once romantic shape.
Gripping the knob tightly, Natalia spun herself with haste, but the door wouldn't budge.
I need to get out!
Tears began to dwell up before she started pounding on the door, desperately shouting for the patrol officer.
"Stephen!" Natalia exclaimed as the door flew open towards her, her body nearly falling from the threshold. She pressed up against the hallway wall and pointed into the room. "He was here," she barely whispered.
Officer Wyzgowski's eyes widened as he peered into the room. Slowly, the officer began to step inside, one hand on his gun. He sighed with relief when the room seemed clear, and grabbing his radio, he began calling for back-up.
"I'm gonna check around the house," Stephen stated quickly.
Natalia barely noticed the officer disappear while she stared in the room. From anyone else, the scene would have been beautiful, a wonderful gesture of love from a kind-hearted soul. Though from him, it was more of a disaster, an honest nightmare hoping to tear her down letter by letter.
Carefully, Natalia grabbed a nearby tissue with a shaky hand and gingerly walked the path the intruder lined for her. Picking up the note, she noticed its size, a paper larger than the notes from before. Obviously, he had much more to say this time.
Dearest Natalia,
Your fear and hesitation confuse me, they consume my soul! What could possibly break that fragile mind of yours to react so harshly to my undying love for you?
Could it be that animal that haunts you? I've seen it, the wolf. The way he watches you unnoticed. You've become his prey, his quest to win and conquer. I fear in my heart he could be the end of you.
Fear not, my bella, for I will tame the beast that hunts you. His torture of you will cease to exist, and only then can we truly be free together.
Love, Your Stupid Cupid
Natalia's mind was in a winded state of confusion before she realized she had already dropped the letter and was rushing for her purse.
Sprinting into the kitchen, she searched through the bag, careful to stay calm as her hand brushed over her desired object. With a swift grab, Natalia kissed the cell phone and pressed the speed-dial number.
I have to call him, she thought. I have to make sure he's okay.
Ryan looked down at his phone for the third time. I can't answer you, he thought. I need to keep my distance. Once again, he pressed the ignore button, sighing in exasperation and wondering how he managed to mess this one up.
I shouldn't have sent her the flowers in the first place. I should have pushed down my emotions, like I always do! It would have made things so much less complicated.
Mindlessly roaming the corridors of the lab, Ryan felt his phone vibrate again. His finger hesitated to press the ignore button.
Screw it…
"Natalia?" he answered sheepishly.
"Why weren't you picking up?" she asked, inches away from hysterics.
"I, uh-," Ryan stuttered, "nevermind that. What's wrong?"
"He was here in my house!" Natalia exclaimed as her words rambled on. "And he went into my bedroom and left me—and I just had to call you, okay? I had to make sure you were safe-"
"Woah, Talia! Calm down," Ryan calmly demanded. "Where's Officer Wyzgowski?"
"He's checking the rest of the house right now," Natalia stated, her voice becoming composed. Her body, however, said different, as the adrenaline wore off and it began to shake a bit.
"Okay, don't worry. I'll be right there." Ryan ended the call and raced for the elevator.
"Woah!" shouted a voice as Ryan bumped into a static body. "Where's the fire?" Calleigh asked, rubbing her now slightly bruised shoulder.
"Natalia's stalker broke into her house," he replied breathlessly as he walked closer to the elevator. He knew she would try to stop him, so each step gave him a bigger head start.
"Oh, God," Calleigh exclaimed, her eyes instantly searching for someone. "Walter!" she shouted across the hall and motioned for him to come closer. Looking back at Ryan, the blonde squinted her eyes suspiciously. "And where do you think you're going?"
Ryan signaled towards the exit as he continued to take even bigger steps.
"No, you don't," she commanded as the taller CSI joined her. "Horatio gave you specific instructions to stay away. Walter and I will go process the scene."
"Calleigh," he insisted, "you know I can't do that."
Watching the young male's eyes, Calleigh could tell it would take more than her authority to stop him. After all, even if he wouldn't admit it, she knew how much Ryan cared for Natalia.
That's what worried her.
"Okay," she sighed as she guided the group towards the elevator.
On the way over, Calleigh and Ryan briefly filled Walter in on the case, knowing they possibly needed all hands on deck by now. As the small team came closer to their destination, Calleigh began second-guessing letting Ryan tag along. She loved his determination about bringing justice to the innocent; it was one of his most valuable aspects. Though, sometimes, the young CSI would exhibit it too much through his emotions. She knew Walter could sense it as well, so through the rear-view mirror, both silently agreed to keep careful watch.
Closing the Hummer doors in succession, the three CSIs took in the scene. It didn't seem right treating a fellow co-worker's – a friend's house as a crime scene. Having it happen to him once before, Ryan understood the uncomfortable feeling it gave letting patrolmen come close to trashing personal belongings and vowed to not let that happen to Natalia's own house.
As Calleigh and Walter trailed towards the crime tape, Ryan paused to gaze at the people beginning to huddle through the streets. One person, a male, caught his attention.
Where have I seen him before?
The familiar man stood oddly calm donning a pair of sunglasses and a backwards baseball cap, almost looking in Ryan's direction. The two men glared at each other, the stranger meticulously sizing Ryan up as he slowly lifted his hand to his ear.
He's listening to something, Ryan noticed. What seemed minutes was only seconds in reality as Ryan heard his name called. Turning his head towards the source, he saw Walter waving at him to follow.
Stretching a hand for him to wait, Ryan redirected his focus back to the man, but the stranger was gone.
Reach out your hands and accept my love. We've been waiting for too long. Enough is enough.
The stranger mentally sighed, this is our song, bella.
My heart is aching, body is burning… this is true, bella! the stranger thought as he paced his walk down the street, glancing back briefly as he watched Ryan disappear into the very same building his bella was being held hostage.
"Wolfe," Walter stated as he set the silver lab kit down, "you okay, man?"
"Uh, yeah," Ryan stammered as he scratched the top of his brow. Playing it careful, he asked a couple of patrolmen to question the bystanders before entering the house. Hopefully they would find that suspicious guy. "Where's Natalia?"
Pointing towards the kitchen, the three saw Natalia sitting still, her head placed heavily against her hand.
She looks worried, Ryan thought. But why wouldn't she be?
From the side of her vision, Natalia saw Calleigh and Walter approaching her, though her smile was the effect of someone else. Jumping from her seat, the brunette scurried past the two CSIs, throwing herself into Ryan's arms.
"Thank God you're okay!" Natalia cried, her face buried in Ryan's shoulder.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he questioned curiously.
"BV," Walter interrupted, "Calleigh and I are going to process your room, okay?"
Natalia nodded her head before bringing it back up to meet their eyes. "The fifth note, it—I just-," she paused and began shaking her head. "I just can't be in this house." Focusing her eyes back to Ryan, Natalia's body shivered a bit as she pulled herself out of his embrace. "He's probably been through my things, touched my clothes, my bed, I-." Natalia caught her breath and grinded her teeth irritably, her eyes now sinking down to the floor.
"Natalia," Calleigh began, "did you read the letter?" As Natalia silently nodded, Calleigh exhaled worriedly. "What did it say?"
Natalia folded her arms tightly, inhaling deeply as she recalled the words. "He mentioned an animal in my life…a wolf." Every eye darted towards Ryan whose face widened at the revelation.
"You're a target, too, Ryan," Calleigh stated as she pulled out her cell phone. "I need to inform Horatio." As the blonde left the circle to speak to Horatio, Walter, noticing his cue, trailed towards the primary crime scene.
Natalia sank her head into one hand and brushed her fingers through her hair irately. "I could handle Nick. I could see him and deal with it right there. But this-," she threw her arms up and found the backing of the couch beneath her. Gently, Ryan sat next to her. "I just need to get out of here, Ryan."
"Okay," Calleigh interrupted as she hung up the phone. "Horatio wants police detail on you as well."
"Are you kidding me?" Ryan complained with a tilt of the head. "No, I'm not letting some cop who could be protecting the Miami streets follow me around instead."
"Why don't we stay together, then?" Natalia suggested to the two. Ryan and Calleigh stammered, unsure of an answer. "I'm serious. I already have Wyzgowski shadowing my every move," the brunette pointed out with a shrug. "Safety in numbers?"
As much sense as this idea made, Ryan hesitated to agree to it. He was already trying desperately hard to keep his "mystery man actions" a secret; spending day and night with the woman he secretly lik—
No, this was Natalia, and those presents were just gestures, kind gestures he knew she needed. We've spent hours together on cases, he thought. This is nothing different.
"Okay," Ryan reluctantly agreed.
"Okay, then," Calleigh replied. "While Eric, Walter, and I process the evidence, you two need figure out where you're sleeping tonight."
Sleep? Looking down at his watch, Ryan noticed the time: 7pm. He was already off the clock. As the two CSIs stared at each other, they sheepishly sank into their postures.
A nervous laugh escaped Ryan's mouth as he raised his brows, hoping to lighten the situation.
Oh, boy…
A/N: Ooh, looks like the stalker's plan might have backfired, lol. The song the creeper was listening to is "I Want You Now," by Depeche Mode. Go listen to it! So creepy... (I heart it)
Okay, running off to read everyone's updates, gah!