It's called pitching
"Ok, so wait, E1 goes into F2?" Ryan asked as he attempted to set up the tent with Eric.
"No, E1 goes into E2," Eric said, getting a little annoyed, "Geez Wolfe don't you ever go camping?"
"No, I've told you before I don't really get along with nature."
"Not even summer camp?" Eric asked as he looked over the directions to the tent again.
"Does science camp count?"
"Did you have to pitch your own tent?"
"No, we had cabins. We couldn't sleep in tents with our chemistry sets and our telescopes could get ruined if they stayed outdoors."
Eric laughed and shook his head. "Good thing you're dating Jessica Caine, maybe she can rough you up a little."
"Oh believe me she does," Ryan smirked, "Just not in nature."
Eric whacked him over the head with the instruction manual. "You're disgusting," he chuckled.
"You're still jealous because Calleigh stopped letting you get into her pants every night." Ryan retorted as he dove under the material of the tent.
"Shut your face you bitch!" Eric exclaimed as he started batting at Ryan.
"Whoa, no violence on vacation," Horatio said, "What's the problem here?"
"Wolfe's being gross!" Eric exclaimed.
"Eric's making fun of me because I don't know how to build a tent." Ryan defended.
"It's called pitching a tent pumpkin." Jessica said as she pulled Ryan out from under the material. "Geez, don't you know anything?"
Ryan chuckled and leaned in to kiss her. "Nope, now teach me oh wise one."
Jessica smiled against his lips and kissed him again. "Alright, I'll teach you to pitch."
"Yeah, just so you two can knock it down during the night." Eric scoffed.
"No, I'm sleeping in the girl's tent with Calleigh and Natalia." Jessica said as she began collecting the poles Eric and Ryan had scattered. "You get to share with Ryan and Jesse."
"Wait, where do I sleep?" Walter asked from where he was setting up another tent.
"That tent stupidhead." Jessica said, "Unless you want to risk getting eaten by a bear."
"There are bears out here?" Ryan asked, his head poking out from under the tent material.
Jessica giggled and kicked at him. "Yup, and no flushing toilets or sinks."
"Wait, what?" Ryan asked, slightly panicked.
Jessica laughed. "No I'm just kidding. Horatio and I requested a camp sight by one of the shower houses just for you. It's about a hundred yards that way." Jessica pointed to a hill. "I think it's on the other side of the hill. I don't know where though, I haven't looked for it yet."
Ryan sighed in relief. "Oh thank god."
Jessica giggled at his relief. "Nerd," she quietly muttered.
Jessica sat on one of the log benches around the fire pit strumming on her guitar. She watched as Eric and Jesse attempted to pitch the girls' tent. Ryan sat next to her and smiled.
"That's not Sebastian," he commented.
"Nope, this is Bernard," Jessica said, "I bought him to take when I don't want to bring Sebastian, you know if it's a rough trip or something."
"Are you going to serenade us while we try to set up the tent you're going to sleep in?" Jesse sarcastically asked.
"Yup, here goes," Jessica said. She quickly started strumming a simple chord progression as she made up the words as she went.
"Jesse and Eric pitching a tent,
"Doesn't look right because it's kind of bent.
"I hope they finish because I'm kind of cold
"Well I'm not really but Dad's getting old
"He could probably use a rest from riding that horse
"And uh oh, that ends this course!"
Jessica shoved the guitar into Ryan's arms as she took off running. Horatio chased after her and they sped off down a path into the woods.
Eric and Jesse watched them run and laughed. "You know I knew H could run fast and he kept in shape but damn," Eric said, "I think with Jess he runs twice as fast."
"You've got to be fast to catch Jessie Bug, right Ryan?" Horatio said as he walked back in with Jessica tossed over his shoulder.
"Every fucking time old man!" Jessica exclaimed as she pounded on his back. "Why do you always play this 'I'm too old for this' card and then chase me down and carry me back!"
"Damn H," Ryan said, walking over with the guitar hanging off his shoulder, "How did you catch her? I can never do that."
"Many years of practice," Horatio said. He looked at Jessica and smirked. "Free ass slaps!" he exclaimed as he smacked Jessica's ass. "Don't you dare old man!" Jessica exclaimed.
The team stood there silently for a moment. Eric came running over and slapped Jessica's butt hard and ran off. Jesse followed behind him with Calleigh closed behind. Natalia barely got her when Jessica dove downward and grabbed Horatio's knees and wrapped her legs around his shoulders. She pulled her legs down and Horatio began to bend backwards. He stopped himself by placing his hands flat on the ground, standing in an awkward back bend. He flipped to the side and Jessica rolled off to the side. She somersaulted and sprang back at him. She tackled him to the ground and he kicked her off and Jessica tumbled off head over heels. She rolled back onto her feet and ran at Horatio. He jumped to his feet and caught her around the middle and slammed her onto her back on the ground.
Jessica gasped and struggled to breathe as the wind was knocked out of her. Horatio looked down at her as he knelt to her side. Jessica held her arms above her head and took in a giant gulp of air. Her eyes watered slightly and she brushed them away. She looked at her father and shook her head.
"Someday old man I'm going to be able to pin you," Jessica gasped.
Horatio chuckled and held out his hand. He helped Jessica to her feet. "We'll see about that."
They smiled at each other and Horatio playfully punched her arm. The team stared at them, a little shocked.
"Did you just beat the crap out of Jessie Bug?" Frank asked.
Horatio chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Where do you think she learned hand-to-hand combat? They don't teach you that in Michigan, do they Bug?"
"Beat every guy that ever challenged me," Jessica proudly declared. She smirked and nudged Horatio again. "Even got me a few dates and marriage proposals."
"You had guys proposing to you at the Police Academy?" Jesse asked, struggling with the tent.
"Yup, after I used the same move Horatio just used to knock me out the guy looked up at me and said he was going to marry me." Jessica smiled at Jesse. "But I told him he was wrong."
Jessica jumped slightly and jabbed her elbow back hard. Ryan recoiled with pain and staggered a bit. Jessica flushed and rushed to his side. "Oh god Ryan, I can't believe I did that again! Are you ok pumpkin?"
"I'm fine," Ryan gasped, "But I'm never challenging you to hand-to-hand, you freaking beat me up when we're just standing around."
"In my defense the last time we were searching for dangerous criminals," Jessica retorted.
Ryan chuckled and leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Damn, you hit hard, too," Ryan muttered as he rubbed his stomach.
Jessica leaned into him. "Sorry pumpkin," she said quietly.
He rested his chin on the top of her head and smiled. "I'm fine, really I am."
"Jess, do you want to come and help us with this already?" Eric asked as he and Jesse continued to struggle with the tent. "You seem to know this better than us."
Jessica chuckled and walked over to them. "Didn't anyone ever teach you guys how to pitch a tent? My god, you're so needy."
Horatio watched as Jessica helped Eric and Jesse with the girls' tent. He looked over at Ryan, who was gliding his fingers down the neck of the guitar across the strings. He nudged him and gave him a small smile.
"Does it bother you?" Horatio quietly asked him. Ryan hesitated but nodded his head. "She waited for you though." Horatio continued, "She told me every time a guy proposed to her that she said no because she knew they weren't the right one. As much as she wanted to get married and start a family, Jessie Bug said none of them were the right one. She said her soul was still out there somewhere, waiting for her to find him."
Ryan looked up at him and smiled. "Thank H," he whispered.
Horatio wrapped his arm around Ryan's shoulder and held him close. "Someday, Mr. Wolfe, someday."
Jessica unrolled her bedroll inside the tent. They were spacious inside. They were two rooms, one large bedroom and a spacious entryway that acted as a sort of living room.
"Damn," Natalia said as she laid out her bedroll, "H doesn't mess around when he goes camping. Why does he have all this stuff?"
Jessica shrugged her shoulders as she laid out her sleeping bag. "He's lived a few different places so he has tents specialized for certain weather." She explained, "Like if there's a thunder storm we've got the best bet. The boys are screwed though." Jessica said with a smirk.
"So how long do you think it's going to take lover boy to come crawling to your side?" Calleigh asked Jessica with a smirk.
Jessica chuckled and smoothed out her blankets. "You know Ryan's trying to become more comfortable in situations outside his comfort zone." She said with a smile, "It really took a lot for him to get over the fact that he couldn't use bleach anymore. Poor guy was a basket case."
"So when's the wedding?" Calleigh asked with a smirk.
"Damn it Calleigh," Jessica snipped, "You say that one more time and I'm going to hurt you."
"Whatever," Calleigh said as she rolled out her sleeping bag, "You know it's true."
Jessica scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm going for a walk," she said as she ducked out of the tent.
Jesse walked towards the stable. He was bored and decided he wanted to find the shower house and see the horses. He heard someone retching and turned and walked towards the source of the sound. Jessica was bent over kneeling on the ground. Her hand shook as she wiped bile from her mouth and stood on shaking legs. She jumped and yelped at the site of Jesse.
"Oh dear god, Jesse," she exclaimed, "Don't sneak up on me."
"Sorry Jess," he said, "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I just got sick, that's all."
"Jess, are you sure you're only sick?"
Jessica sighed and looked at him. "Yeah, I'm sure. I ate something that upset my stomach."
"You sure that's all it is?"
Jessica looked at him and sighed. "I'm fine, really."
"Jessica, you're not…"
"No Jesse, I'm not pregnant," Jessica snapped, "Something's just irritated my stomach, that's all." She looked away from him and sniffed. "I know the risk I'm running if I get pregnant right now. I could cause major damage to myself and probably loose the baby. I don't want to do that. I can't loose another baby. Not another one with Ryan. You get it? I don't want a baby right now. I just have a stomach ache."
She pushed past him and walked back towards the campsite. Jesse sighed and watched her walk away. He followed her and found her talking to Horatio. He walked up and gently touched her arm. "Can I talk to you?" he quietly asked. Jessica looked at him and sighed but followed him away from Horatio.
They stood together by Jessica's car. She leaned against it and stared him with an irritated expression.
"I'm sorry Jess," he said, "I was wrong. I shouldn't question you like that. It's your business whether you and Ryan want to have a baby and I need to stay out of your life."
Jessica looked at him with a pained expression. "It's ok," she quietly said, "I appreciate you checking in on me Jesse, it shows you care."
He smiled at her and ran his hand through her hair. "Thanks," he whispered.
Jessica smiled at him and wrapped her arms around Jesse. He held her close and breathed in her scent. Jessica kissed his cheek and looked at him. "Thank you Jesse," she whispered.
Ryan watched as Jessica hugged Jesse. He didn't know what was going on. He felt a spike of jealously stab through his chest. He walked away, trying to hide from the scene.
Ryan walked into his tent and flopped down onto his sleeping bag. He reached into his duffle bag and looked through his stuff. He stumbled on the box of condoms he had packed and looked them over. He had bought the pleasure pack, hoping he and Jessica could spend some quality time together. Ryan sighed and stuffed the box into the bottom of the bag, wanting to forget about it. Ryan laid there for a moment before he decided to move again. He climbed out of his tent and walked around the campsite.
Jessica and Jesse came walking back, laughing and carrying firewood. Ryan looked away and paced. A pair of arms wrapping around his waist and lips on the back of his neck made him jump. "I caught you," Jessica whispered sing-song in his ear.
Ryan sighed and smiled. He turned and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned down and kissed her passionately. "That you did," he whispered in response.
"Come on," Jessica said, taking his hand.
They ran through the trees, Jessica pulling Ryan along. She stopped at the base of a tree and looked up at it. "I found this tree earlier when I went for a walk," Jessica explained as she began climbing up the slanted trunk. Ryan sighed and followed her upwards into the branches. Jessica stopped and sat on a large branch, straddling her legs on either side. Ryan climbed up and sat across from her. She smiled at him and he couldn't help but return it with one of his own.
"So why are we here, Jane Goodall?" he asked her.
Jessica scooted closer to him and smiled again. "I bet you've never kissed someone in a tree before," she said with a smirk. She gently kissed him and Ryan chuckled.
"Nope, you're the first," he said as he captured her lips again.
Jessica scooted even closer, almost sitting on his lap. Jessica ran her hands across his chest and back and slid her tongue into his mouth. Ryan chuckled and bit at her bottom lip. He slid his hands under her shirt and into her bra as he bit along her neck. Jessica giggled and squirmed as his hands roamed across her body. She unhooked her bra and Ryan's hands wandered across her skin.
"You're so hot," he whispered as he kissed her neck, "I'm so glad you're mine."
"And I'll always be yours," she whispered in his ear as she moaned lightly while Ryan toyed with her nipples.
Something small but hard hitting his head made Ryan stop and glance around. "What was that?" he quietly asked Jessica. "What was what?" she asked.
Another sharp pain in his shoulder made Ryan jump and he looked towards where the object had come from. Horatio hurtled another small rock towards Ryan and he tried to duck. He almost fell but Jessica caught him.
"Hey you hooligan!" Horatio hollered, "Hands off my daughter!" He chucked another rock towards Ryan but Jessica caught it and threw it back at him. "Back off old man!" she shouted back at him, "I'm trying to get laid in a tree!"
"Not on my watch!" Horatio said as he threw another rock.
"Damn it H," Jessica said as she started climbing back down, "You never let me have any fun."
Horatio laughed and watched Ryan stumble his way out of the tree. "I thought I let you have enough fun," he said with a grin.
Jessica scoffed as she re-hooked her bra. "Well I wanted to try something new."
"I'm just saving you from splinters," Horatio said as he held out his hand for Ryan. Ryan grasped it and leapt from the tree. Horatio smiled at Ryan and winked.