omgosh, i'm so happy right now. thank you soooo much for all the reviews & putting me on your faves / alerts & the love! awesomest online present ever! everyone's so nice. i sure hope i'm still making you guys laugh this far down the story.
so this chapter's basically a huge breakthrough to Calleigh/Ryan's relationship. that was what made the chapter long, actually.
ah! new year's coming! which means school's around the corner. -_-
but enough of the unfortunate things. on with the story! enjoy! :]
December 22nd
Calleigh stepped down from the ladder and admired her work. The tinsel sparkled in the fluorescent light. It made her lab feel more Christmassy and less violent.
She had lowered her caseload considerably, and as a reward to herself had decided to decorate her lab. She was sure the experts from night and graveyard wouldn't mind, seeing as how she was sharing her equipment with them.
And she'd look like a party pooper if she didn't add a little holiday cheer here and there; even the interrogation rooms and temporary holding cells were decorated (no tinsel for suffocating, though).
She folded the ladder and put it away. Then Eric Delko rushed in, his face expressing a clouded mind. He wore a 'help me clear something out' stare. Ryan followed the Cuban soon after, walking in the room with a pleading look on his face.
"So let me get this straight." Eric turned to Ryan, then to Calleigh, then continued, "You, Wolfe, are trying to tell me that you have a thing going on with Calleigh? Calleigh Duquesne, Bullet Girl, the one who lives by 'if you condescend me in any way I'll break your arm in three places' as a motto. That Calleigh?"
"She's the one. Look, I'm sorry. It slipped out. Nobody was supposed to know. At least, until Cal felt comfortable enough to tell everybody." Ryan walked closer to Calleigh, silently asking her to play along.
"Well, I guess now that the word's out, now's as good a time as any," Calleigh got the message. Ryan's face relaxed significantly. She wrapped her arm around his waist to let him know it was okay. He responded by placing his own arm around her shoulder.
Eric could only look with eyes wide open and jaw to the floor. He always thought they were good for each other, but he never expected them to act upon their feelings. Not now, at least.
"I believe you owe me 20 bucks," Ryan held out a hand and motioned for Eric to pay him.
"Hold on, hold on. If you really are together – not faking it for the sake of robbing me of 20 dollars – prove it. Kiss."
Ryan laughed nervously. "I…Cal's not comfortable kissing in public."
"When'd I say that?" She felt mischievous. Hey, if it meant kissing him, why not?
The Cuban crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows, waiting.
"Just kiss me, Ryan," she said, and took his hand into her own.
He leaned in and their lips touched. Ryan was gentle, but full of passion. His lips tasted so good. His arms found their way to her hips, and her arms wrapped themselves around his neck. Calleigh wanted more, so much more, and though he found it hard not to continue, Ryan had parted. It was only a demonstration for the third occupant in the room.
"Damn it. I thought you'd be faking the whole thing but that little smooch had…something that can't be faked. Break her heart, Wolfe, and I'll break your face. She's like another sister to me."
They'd returned to their position from before, arm around his waist and arm around her shoulder. "I wouldn't dream of it, Delko. Besides, you probably can't even land a blow on me. You like me too much."
Eric chortled. "Yeah, that's what I want you to think, man. That way when you least expect it, the bones of your face will suddenly be broken." He turned to leave when Ryan cleared his throat.
"Sorry, buddy. Don't have any cough drops."
"Delko, you moron. You can't run away forever."
"I know. That's why I've got a car."
"Give me my 20 bucks, Delko. I won it, fair and square."
"Fine, fine. Congratulations. Go and buy Calleigh something pretty." Eric fished out a 20 dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Ryan.
"Why would she need something pretty when she's got me?"
"You're exactly why she needs something else to look at."
"You know," Calleigh started after Eric left, "your bickering should be edited into Einstein's quote. The 'two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity' one. Seriously, it's never-ending!"
"I think it's fun. I don't know about him, but thinking of new insults keeps me sharp. And we're just joking around, anyways, so it's all good. Thanks, by the way, for playing along."
She turned to him, green eyes twinkling. "Who said I was playing along?"
He smiled, speechless. So she continued.
"How well do you think you know me?"
"Inside and out."
"Then you must already know that –"
"-that you love me? Mm-hmm. It just sounds better in my ears when you say it."
"Well, then. I love you, Ryan Wolfe. And I can't thank you enough for your sweetness with all these gifts."
"No need to thank me. Just remember the song or all my efforts will go to waste." He winked. "We're not done yet, by the way. There's three more days left. Oh. That reminds me. Your next present is coming. I have to go."
Ryan took one of her hands and squeezed it. He kissed her cheek, then hesitantly let go of her hand. It had been a while since he felt her soft skin on his, and he never wanted to let go. But it was the tenth day, and he could hold her hand until tomorrow, but tomorrow wouldn't be the tenth day anymore so his present came first.
He left her side, but flashed her a smile before pushing the door open and leaving the room.
A few seconds later he returned, and pointed to one of the tinsels. "That one's crooked." He left as fast as he had come back.
Calleigh sighed. Up the ladder again she goes.
--
The intercom overhead brought her out of her reverie. She had been daydreaming of what had taken place in her lab a while ago, repeating the events over and over again until she was sure it had all been a cruel dream.
But she could still taste him on her lips, so she was certain it really happened.
"Officer Duquesne? It's Paula." The voice was unusually clear – normally the intercom would make static out of nowhere.
"Paula, we've known each other for years. How many times can I tell you that first-name basis means you can call me Calleigh?"
She could hear the uncertainty in the policewoman's voice. "Okay, um… Calleigh, there's someone waiting for you. A Lord…something. I didn't catch the name. He was sent by Officer Wolfe to the police station. I figure he's probably sitting in one of the interrogation rooms."
"Huh. That's a bit weird. The only open case I've got has been cold for weeks, and all of a sudden some guy just walks in who's connected somehow?"
"He said he was a bit out of it when the case was hot, but now that it's died down, it's like his memory is 'fresh out of the oven'. His exact words."
"Hm. Alright, then. Thanks, Paula. I'll drop by right now."
Calleigh was beginning to think the man was a phony, especially with that line he'd used. Fresh out of the oven? Who uses that?
She put her gun on her holster, just in case her new suspect was… well, nuts. And then after she would shoot the guy in self-defense, she'd go and pay Ryan a visit with her gun unlocked and her finger on the trigger for sending her to a crazy person four days before Christmas.
--
There was nobody inside the interrogation room. Calleigh could already see from afar that the room the lord was supposed to be in was empty. She was about to turn around and leave – and shoot Ryan in the leg – when a gleam caught her eye.
She followed the flash until it led her to the lord's supposed interrogation room. She smiled; now she got it. She'd assumed that the lord was an actual person. But it was a cookie cutter. Well, ten of them, actually, all arranged standing in a pyramid.
Afraid to topple the pyramid if she took one, she picked up the letter set beside the baking stencils and began to read instead.
My sweet (insert baked good here),
Before you hunt me down and shoot me, hear me out… It was Paula's idea.
Calleigh rolled her eyes. Sometimes he could be so childish, putting the blame on Paula when it was clearly his.
Seriously! She's got a hidden evil soul she only unleashes when I'm around. I thought of just graciously giving the cookie cutters to you in person, but nooo. Paula suggests we trick you! And pretend you've got some suspect waiting for you named Lord something so you'll come before somebody else steals them.
So now that we've gotten that all cleared up – I promise not to tell anyone when Paula mysteriously disappears –, today's the tenth day.
On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Ten lords-a-leaping
Lord William and Lord Harry – aka Prince William and Prince Harry – were too busy with British things to come and visit. I think they're just making excuses. It's not like they're too poor to fly down here for a couple hours and leap in front of you.
So you're stuck with these. Ten cookie cutters of Lords-a-leaping. If you really want to, you can name the two lords in the second tier of pyramid William and Harry, because obviously the one on top is going to be named Ryan. I'm cooler than them anyway. I'm just not second or third in line of succession to the British throne (I had to Wikipedia what they were actually in line for).
I'm sure the Culinaria France book I got you from the third day has some baking recipes where you can use the cookie cutters. And if they don't, you can use them for decorating beef. I think it'd be fantastic to have a lord-shaped beefsteak (ahem – cough cough, hint hint).
With love,
Your Lord Charming (aka Prince Charming)
Calleigh beamed. She took down the pyramid of lords and gathered them in her arms. She was beginning to rethink shooting Ryan in the leg for tricking her.
She'll shoot him in the foot instead.
veteran readers, you know what to do.
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