A/N: As I said in my one-shot *that I just posted*, I was out of town, so I couldn't really work on this! But now that I have a 4 day break, I'm running at full speed (for as much as I can before Monday rolls around).

Enjoy!

Chapter 9 – Say Say Say

Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Alexx sighed at the sight before her: Ryan lying impatiently in an ER bed, fluids pumping full force into his body. One of her babies was still trying to play it tough.

Some things never change, I guess…

Looking down at the chart, she examined Ryan's prognosis and let out another sigh, though much louder and purposeful than earlier.

"Ryan, Ryan, Ryan," she commented somberly as she walked towards his bed. "I thought I told you to take care of yourself."

"I did!" the young man argued, lifting his head to stare at her with his puppy-dog eyes. She just stared right back with the motherly look that had been known to even break down the Lieutenant himself. Lying back against the pillow, he grumbled in defeat. "Okay, so maybe I didn't. But it's not like I wasn't trying to. It was just the last thing on my mind."

"Oh," Alexx quipped brightly as she took a glance at the infection. "And what was the first?"

Ryan shrugged melancholy-like. "Just cases," he dully responded, his focus to the hospital's tiled ceiling.

"Just?" the doctor huffed. "Nothing else? Not even a certain someone…"

"Ugh!" Ryan groaned as he closed his eyes, "not you, too. Alexx, there is nothing going on."

A pleasant smile grew from Alexx's lips. "Eric used to say the same thing to me," she chuckled. Carefully, the doctor began cleaning the CSI's infection.

"Huh?" Ryan breathed, his eyes widening.

"We would have lunch sometimes after I left the lab," Alexx mentioned casually, "and sometimes the conversation of a female persuasion would possibly pop up. Every time he would say, 'Alexx there is nothing going on.'" The caring woman huffed. "I'm a mother, and I know exactly what that means."

"Well, this time you're wrong," Ryan retorted.

"Eric said that as well," Alexx grinned as she finished wrapping the injury.

Groaning, Ryan perched himself up to a sitting position and starred at the IV line strapped to his arm. "How long do I have to stay here?" he grumbled.

"I want to keep you overnight to make sure your body is taking well to the medication," Alexx chimed. "You're lucky I snatched your chart when I did. That grouchy head nurse of mine was about to make her rounds. But I suggest you take care of yourself because I might not be able to help again."

"Thanks, Alexx," Ryan grinned and watched the doctor begin to open the curtain that separated the patients.

She stopped and pivoted slowly on her heels.

"I know you just want Natalia to be happy," she quietly commented.

"I do," Ryan answered, his reply barely audible.

"But at some point, you need to let yourself be happy as well," Alexx pointed out.

"I am happy," he stuttered confidently, his eyes darting back and forth between the female's concerned orbs.

"Now that," Alexx snapped, "is a bold-face lie."

March, 2011

The television was a black void, but that didn't stop him from staring endlessly into its vortex, thoughts rambling like a three-ring circus.

What does she mean, a bold-face lie?he thought curiously. I'm happy. I'm happy that she's happy. Shouldn't that be enough?

Ryan carefully rolled to his back on the lumpy couch, the only dead-beat furniture he was okay with keeping in his flat.

Ugh, who am I kidding? All I ever think about is Natalia...

"This was the stupidest plan ever," he announced aloud.

"I agree," Jesse chuckled causing Ryan to jolt hard enough to elicit some pain.

"Ugh," Ryan groaned, hiding his face beneath his hands, "I hoping that...,"

"That I was brought on by your infection?" Jesse chuckled once more. "Sorry, man. Can't get rid of me just yet. But I do see that you're starting to think more clearly."

The younger CSI peered up to the ghost and eventually pushed himself to a seating position, his head nodding in agreement. "I think I'm going to tell Natalia the truth."

"About time!" Jesse praised.

"Hey, don't get too excited," Ryan warned with his hands up in defense. "I haven't told her yet."

Rolling his eyes, Jesse sat atop the couch's arm rest. "Wolfe, quit doubting that she feels the same way, okay?"

"I just don't want to hurt her," Ryan whispered as his eyes peered down to his fidgeting hands.

"With the words you two have exchanged over the past years, "Jesse teased, "I think there's little you can do to hurt Natalia anymore."

"Alright," Ryan interrupted as he painfully stood up, "enough out of you." Pointing to the front door, Ryan attempted to prod Jesse out. "Out. I need my rest."

"You do know a wooden door can't stop me from coming back," Jesse reminded him, his steps casually moving closer to the exit.

"I don't care," Ryan retorted and opened the door. As Jesse stepped out of the house, the brown-haired CSI smiled weakly. "Goodbye," he stated, slamming the door in one swift move.

Barely did seconds pass before a trill of knocking sounded against the front door. Ryan rolled eyes and attempted to swing the door back open.

"You know, for a ghost, you're a real pain in the-,"

A beautiful brunette stood quietly past the threshold, her chestnut eyes immense in the moment as she held a small Tupperware container in her hands.

"Oh," Ryan stuttered, "Natalia." His heart rate suddenly shot up in a rapid speed. What a coincidence...

"Can... I come in?" the female gently inquired as she poked her head slightly into the living room. "Or are you busy?"

"No!" Ryan quickly answered, "come in." As he closed the door, he watched Natalia aimlessly wander to the kitchen with her items.

"I was designated the representative of the lab," Natalia mentioned nonchalantly. "So, I figured I'd bring you some soup." Turning around, their eyes made contact with each other, Ryan still at the other side of the room. "It's my mother's recipe."

"Thanks," Ryan countered. Awkwardly, he began sitting back down on the couch. Laughing internally, Ryan realized how nervous and perplexed he had become.

"So, how long before you can come back to work?" Natalia inquired as she sat next to him. Her warm smile helped Ryan relax a little.

"A couple of days," Ryan sighed. "I bet the lab's been a huge mess without me."

"Oh, definitely," Natalia humored. "Eric's head has become so huge!" Both CSIs giggled as Natalia's eyes caught sight of a letter lying crumpled up on the coffee table. "I see you got the same notice."

Stopping short of his laughter, Ryan remembered the piece of paper: notice of Chad Hayward's Post-Indictment Arraignment. "Yeah, I did."

"Are you going to go?" Natalia questioned quietly but received no response. "I went to his first one right after he was arrested. Was still pleading not guilty."

"I don't know if I should," Ryan remarked, his teeth grinding. "I don't know if I could keep myself from wanting to choke him." Though, he was more afraid of always feeling that urge than actually acting on it.

"As a cop, I'd have to pretend I didn't hear that," Natalia joked. "But it's fine if you don't want to come. Jay said he would support me, so...,"

"Wait," Ryan cut off, "Jay's going?"

"Well, yeah," Natalia replied curiously. "He's been really sweet to me."

"So, you two are really serious?" Ryan prodded angrily.

"Why do you even care?" Natalia spat back, her body shifting uncomfortably.

"I don't," Ryan bluffed, his eyes darting in any direction but her focus. "I'm just saying it's strange you would become so serious with a guy you hardly know."

Natalia's mouth dropped at Ryan's words. Is he for real? "Wow. Do you even hear the words coming out of your mouth?" she barked.

"I'm just saying-,"

"Jay asked me out, okay? He asked me out, and I said yes! What did you want me to do? Wait around for something that might never happen? How is that fair to me?"

The words tried their damnedest to escape Ryan's thoughts, but nothing voiced out.

"Now, I really like Jay. I can even see a future with him. You know why? Because he's the first person since Nick who's actually taken a risk to go out with me. And I mean a serious risk. I would have figured you, of all people, my best friend, would support me with this."

"That's not my point, Talia," Ryan injected.

"Then what is your point?" Natalia countered, "huh?"

"That I-," he stammered, his heart now beating at a thousand miles a minute, "I-,"

He stared deep into Natalia's eyes and saw what he feared...the hurt. Ryan pressed his lips together and became silent, his focus declining down the floor.

"That's what I thought," she snapped, her head shaking in disappointment as she stood up to leave. "Enjoy your soup."

Ryan groaned at the slamming of his own door.

Looked like his original plan was working. Natalia was falling for someone else... and Ryan hated it.

A/N: I'm hoping this gives a little more clarity of Natalia's motivations, that she's not really using Jay to get back at Ryan.

I went ahead and threw in what month we are in for reference (only 2 1/2 months to go before "Mayday.") Also, no one has guessed the theme of the chapter titles. =(.