Usually if someone says that they basically love you, one would chase after whomever said those beautiful words that every woman longs to hear.

But not me.

Nope, I just stood there like a complete idiot with my mouth still hanging wide open. I didn't run after him to tell him, well anything. I just stood there. No one had ever said anything remotely like what Ryan had said to me ever before. All those years dreaming about the perfect person to come along and sweep me off my feet, and when it finally happens, I just stand there.

I didn't want to admit that I felt the same way, I am a strong, independent woman and I don't need a man to make me happy.

Right?

"Wrong, very wrong." I mumbled to myself as I sat on my bed replaying the scene over and over. I analyzed and over analyzed every little movement that he had made, and everything that I didn't say. I thought about what I would have done differently, like for starters, responding. But what exactly would I have said? Even after I had spent the whole night thinking about this one particular question, I still had no answer. I have no idea what I would have said, no idea at all.

How about "wow Ryan, I think I'm falling for you too. That would have been good.

The little annoying voice in my head throws that one at me, and I sigh because I know that it is right. I should have said that, or something very similar.

But I knew I wouldn't.

I don't fall in love, I, the self proclaimed pessimist, would never find anything wonderful like that. I didn't believe in things like love or destiny, so it would never happen.

But it did.

I knew that I had completely fallen for Ryan. I knew that I had when he looked into my eyes and told me that he would always be right there beside me. I knew that I had fallen for him when he kissed me on that rainy night and then held me close while the storm raged on.

"Arrrggghh," I sighed throwing my hands up in frustration. Why did he have to come along and do this? Why did he have to make me question everything I had always thought about love? He had to make me want to be with him every second, he just had to make me think about him all night.

And thinking about him was something that I couldn't seem to stop doing. Every piece of Ryan filled my mind, like they way his cologne smelled as clean as the morning rain, or the soft smile that would play on his lips, and the way his hazel eyes would reflect whatever he was feeling on the inside, even if he didn't want to show it on the outside.

And then that was it.

That was the end of the internal battle I was having with myself, I knew what I had to do. I had to let go of my pride and any rational thought that I had ever had. I needed to just feel. I needed to listen to what my heart was telling me.

So I did.

I jumped out of my warm nest of covers and ransacked through my purse looking for the small piece of information I knew I had hidden in the many pockets of it. When I found the little scrap of paper I was looking for, my heart began to race. I stared at the seven numbers written and knew that this was what I had to do.

Then I picked up the phone and began to dial.

~*********~

Ryan's POV

There is always a catch. I have found this out the hard way. Just when I think something might be going my way, bam, reality hits me right back in the face with such a force I never quite seem to believe. I get hired to be a CSI, and the whole team basically hates me. I gamble a little bit, and then I lose my job. I even had a nail shot into my eye when it finally seemed like everything was going alright. All of these things seem to pale in comparison to the most recent shock of reality that has been thrown my way, however.

I tell a girl that I love her, and she doesn't say a word.

Granted I walked away from the conversation as soon as the words left my mouth, but I thought maybe she would have something to say after I told her. But, I had yet to hear one word for her. Just when I thought that maybe this whole thing would work out, I was left sitting here alone on a Friday night. Maybe it was too soon to say something? After all, we haven't known each other for that long, a few weeks at most. But when you feel such a strong connection to someone how do let those feelings pass? I felt like I had known her since the beginning of time, like we had met in some other life and there was still a fire that burned between us.

I'll admit it, I haven't had too many relationships. I'm always busy with work and it can be hard to find someone, especially when you are not looking. And then here she comes into my life, a force to be reckoned with. It was as if someone had said, "You two, together now." I felt it the first time I met her by that dusty highway, and I still feel it now. A strange sense of lightheadedness and something else that I don't quite recognize.

But I figured it out, being the good CSI that I am. That unknown feeling was love. I was head-over-heels for this girl. I was in love. Nothing had ever felt so right before in my life. All the puzzle pieces were starting to fall into place, except for one.

I had no idea if she felt the same way I did.

She was still silent, and it made me continue to question everything. I didn't quite know what to think anymore. It was not like she hadn't wanted to be with me. So, what was holding her back? I just needed to hear her voice, I needed to talk to her.

I hated this feeling, not knowing what is going to happen next. I was always so on top of things and now the tables are turned and I don't know if I can turn them back. I sighed and put my head in my hands, and I just stared at the beige carpet of my apartment. While I was looking down, I noticed a piece of stray lint ruining the picture perfect cleanliness I had.

The overpowering feeling to clean was kicking into full gear, and I knew that it wouldn't go away until I did something about it. Glancing at the clock, It read 9:00P.M it bright letters. I would give myself an hour and then no more. I pulled the vacuum out of the closet and then grabbed the Pine-Sol to do the kitchen and bathroom. In this hurried frenzy, I noticed that there was a small film of dust beginning to gather on the tables and other electronics. Sighing, I put the vacuum down and grabbed the feather duster as well.

"This could take more than an hour," I said to myself. Then I prepared to control another curse that seemed to plague my life-OCD.

Yes, it is a curse having to make sure everything is in order at all times, and keeping things color and numerically coordinated can be a hassle if someone messes with my system. Yet at the same time, cleaning can be very relaxing. I had finished doing all of the vacuuming and I was moving on to the floors when I realized that I hadn't though about Lauren yet.

"Ha," I snorted at my own thought. "At least until then I hadn't." I pulled out the bucket and began to pour the cleaning solution into it, and I just let the fresh smell fill my mind. All the uneasiness was gone. About halfway through completely scrubbing down the kitchen, I noticed a ringing that was not coming from the music I was listening to on my Ipod. I took out the ear piece and I could still hear the blasting sounds of The Bravery, but there was also something else.

At the small coffee table I grabbed my cell phone and read the caller ID, the number was unfamiliar to me, but I picked it up anyway.

After hitting the talk button, I was immediately hit with the blasting sounds of loud unidentifiable music. "Hello," I yelled into the receiver. I could hear faint sounds of someone mumbling, and then the music slowly dimmed.

"Wolfe," I heard Delko's voice on the other end, and felt slightly disappointed, he wasn't exactly the person that I wanted to hear from. "Hey, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," I said to him hoping that this wasn't going to be a waste of my time.

"Well, I'm down here at Steamers and I thought you would be here." He said. "It's karaoke night, c'mon it's fun."

I laughed at they way he was trying to urge me to come down there with him, "Only if you sing is it fun." I glanced at the clock and saw that I had killed about an hour cleaning. But it wasn't too late yet. "I don't know, I'm not sure I want to listen to crappy singers tonight."

"What do you already have plans Wolfe?"

I smirked, "Nope, not really."

"Well then why not come?" He said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll buy you a drink."

"All right," I said giving in, maybe I did need to get a out for a while. "I'll be there in 15."

With that I hung up the phone and started putting all of my cleaning supplies away. After I had changed, I got into my car and headed for the city hoping that a night out would keep my mind off of the one constant thing that always seemed to wrap it up, the women that I still had yet to talk to.

~*********~

The ring on the other side of the phone kept me biting my nails wondering if I was making the right decision. I needed to talk, and I knew that I could count on this person to help me out in that department. By the fifth ring I thought about hanging up, but as soon as the thought entered my mind, a voice on the other end answered.

"Hello?" The voice I knew all too well answered.

"Hi mom, it's Lauren." I said trying to stay strong. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," She said a slight concern coating her voice. "What going on?"

I thought for a moment about what I should tell her, and then decided that she should know everything. "Let me start from the beginning……"

So I told my mom about everything that had happened since I came to live in Miami. Work, the weather, and of course Ryan. She mostly listened, interjecting a few times here and there. But as I told her about how I was feeling and all of the things that Ryan had told me, I could tell that she wasn't going to be able to just sit back and listen anymore.

"He told you that he loved you?" She questioned making sure that she had got all of the facts right.

"Uh huh," I replied sheepishly.

"And you said nothing?"

"Well, basically."

"Lauren," She asked with a slightly sharper tone in her voice. "How long have you known this, Ryan- is that his name?"

At the sound of his name my pulse quickened, "Yeah that's his name. I've known him since I've been here."

"So not too long." She said shortly.

"Yeah, not to long." I said already seeing where this was going. She was going to tell me that I was being crazy and that I couldn't possibly know what kind of feelings I have for Ryan until I know him at least a little better. Sometimes, my mom just handed out the truth and basically said take it or leave it.

"Can I ask you something else," She said pulling me from my thoughts.

"Oh, sure," I replied waiting for her to open up on me with the totally mom talk that I desperately needed.

"Do you love him?" She asked me softly, and I was so shocked that my answer was just a slight 'huh'. "Lauren, do you love him, it really is a simple question."

"I-I think that I do," I replied telling it more to myself that to her.

"Well, then it is simple," She said very happily. "You have to tell him that, and if you want to be with him you should. You don't have to always be alone and strong Lauren, you deserve to be happy too. I know that with after what happened in D.C you--."

"Mom," I cut her off not wanting to talk about what happened in the past, what was done was done. "Are you sure this is what I should do?"

She sighed, "Honey, I know that you don't like putting yourself out there, but you need to. If you love this boy then you need to tell him."

"I know, I'm just scared." I finally said out loud what I had been feeling this whole time. I was scared of what was to come, and how things would play out, I was finally able to admit to that.

"Love is unpredictable, but you need to stop thinking about it so much," She said giving me the words of wisdom like I knew she could. "This is not courtroom strategy, it's not even logical. It's how you feel and the emotions that make you feel that way. Just let go and follow what your heart is telling you what to do."

"But, what if things aren't like--."

"Stop worrying about how things might not turn out, you have to take that step before you can even think about that level." I could hear her smile while she told me this. "You are a smart and successful young woman Lauren, just let yourself be truly happy for once."

"I'm trusting you on this one you know," I replied back with a slight laugh. "I hope your right."

"Aren't I always?" She countered.

I didn't even need to reply because we both knew the answer was yes, she was always right.

"I miss you," She said to me after the long pause. "I'll have to come visit soon, you know, to work on my tan."

I laughed, "Oh yeah, that's the only reason. And I miss you too."

"Well, keep me posted, and I will have to meet the boy who swept you off your feet so quickly."

"Mom, I'm 25. I don't date boys,"

"Oh, well excuse me, the man who swept you off your feet." She chuckled to herself. "Is that better?"

"Yeah, yeah," I said rolling my eyes. "I love you mom, thank you."

"I love you too, that's why I'm here, to help with all of life's little dilemmas." She said with a yawn. "Don't forget what I told you."

"I won't, bye."

I hung up the phone and starred at it for just a moment before dialing the number that I had memorized when I first received it. I decided that I should follow my mom's advice before I lost my nerve completely. When the phone kept ringing and ringing, I looked at the clock to make sure it wasn't too late. 10:24 P.M. it read and I shrugged wondering what was taking him so long to answer.

When I reached Ryan's voice mail for the second time, I hung up the phone with a huge sigh of annoyance. Where is he? Just as I was about to think about going to bed and sleeping whatever this feeling was off, my phone rang. I looked down at the number and saw that it was Ryan's that was flashing. I quickly sat down and took a deep breath before answering.

"Hello?" I said very airy.

"Lauren?" The voice that I heard was not Ryan however, It was Calleigh. Not only was I very confused, I had no idea how to respond.

"Umm yeah," I said letting the confusion slip into my voice.

"Well hello!" She said in her cheerful voice. I could hear that she was somewhere that sounded like a bar, but I wasn't quite sure why she had Ryan's phone.

So, I asked.

She laughed almost hysterically when she heard the tone of my voice, "It's not like that," She continued to giggle. "Eric and I were out at steamers and he invited Ryan, and I heard his phone. I saw it was you and decided to call you back."

I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't even know I was holding in, "I see."

"So, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Well, nothing really." I said wondering where this conversation was heading.

"Why don't you meet us here?" She said still keeping slightly coy. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to see Ryan yet. "It's really a nice place, and Eric might be doing some karaoke later tonight."

I laughed as that mental picture popped into my head and thought about what my mom had told me earlier, "Sure I'll come."

"Great!" She said, and while I took down the directions she gave me, I thought about what exactly I was going to say to Ryan. I wasn't even sure if he was going to want to listen to what I had to say, so I began to form a plan to tell Ryan exactly how I felt without having to even really say it out loud. I could make him hear me, and I could make him listen. First, I just had to find the right words.