I still don't own any of these characters, but I'm still holding out for Delko!

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In Sickness and In Health

Chapter 2

Two weeks have passed and Valera can't figure out why every time she turns around, Ryan is showing up in her work area. He sometimes needs evidence and sometimes it seems like he has no excuse and is just showing up. He never stays long and he's been very nice lately, but he just keeps looking at her funny and it's driving her crazy. She's to the point that she knows she is attracted to him and his coming around all the time is NOT helping.

Ryan gets out of the Hummer where he and Horatio are coming back from a murder scene. He starts whistling and walking to the building. Calleigh and Eric walk up behind them. Eric looks at Calleigh and says, "What's he so happy about?" Calleigh just grins and shakes her head. "He has a right to be in a good mood Eric! You should try it sometime." Then she playfully pops his shoulder. Eric laughs and says, "It's fine if he is in a good mood, but walking around here whistling? Come on…………..he must be in love." Calleigh says nothing but smiles to herself remembering her conversation with Alexx yesterday in the morgue. Cal and Alexx have been noticing Ryan hanging out a whole lot in the lab where Valera is. They talked yesterday about it and wondered if Valera was catching on and if she'd be interested or if Ryan was setting himself up for hurt.

Ryan walks by the lab, notices Valera isn't in there and wonders where she is. He looks down the hall and hates that he's missed her. It took him all morning to create a reason to have to go by the lab. He wanted to take the evidence by and Horatio offered to help. Doggone it, the man is always supervising and letting him do the leg work and of all the times to mess that up………he offers to take the evidence to the lab. Geesh!

Ryan is standing in the lab wondering how long he can wait and her phone rings. No one else is close by in the lab to answer and he wonders if he should answer it or just let it ring. He knows he probably should just let it ring, but he's been a cop too long and is just nosy enough to answer it. He answers the phone to a very weak female voice asking for Maxine Valera. Wondering it who it is, he explains that she must have stepped out and he's just walked in. He asks if there is anything he can help her with. She tells him she is Maxine's mother and was just calling to tell her she was headed home. Ryan doesn't know how much to ask because something is not quite right. "Ma'am, would you like me to go find her. Is everything OK?" He hears a small chuckle over the phone. "No, son. Just tell her I am headed home and that I'll call her later. I'm fine. I just finished a chemo treatment and she always wants me to call her when I am finished. I always sound like this, but I'm fine." Ryan feels like he has been punched in the gut. "Oh…..Ok, um, I'll tell her and I'm sorry. I had no idea…….." After a short pause Valera's Mom replies, "I'm not surprised. My daughter is very independent. I don't know how well you know her, but she isn't one to talk about things." Ryan is still trying to regulate his breathing. "I'm sorry ma'am. My name is Ryan Wolfe. I'm a CSI and I work pretty closely with Valera……uh………Maxine. I just had no idea her Mom was sick. You're right, she doesn't talk about it." Valera's Mom sadly responds, "My name is Isabella Valera. I'm sure that Maxine will be non too happy that I've aired her dirty laundry to you. I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 3 months ago. I had a right radical mastectomy and now I am doing chemotherapy to try and be sure the cancer is gone. I have no idea why I have dumped all of this on you either. I'm sorry, son."

Ryan all of a sudden feels a knot in his throat. "Ms. Valera I am very glad I answered this phone. I agree with you that Vale………..Maxine won't be happy about it either, but she needs to be talking about it and I intend to be sure that she does. This isn't dirty laundry it's your life and her life and I know that this has probably been horrible for you both. If there is anything I can do to help you, will you please call me. May I give you my number?" He hears her voice crack and she thanks him for being so kind. She insists that he call her Isabella and writes down his number as he calls it off to her. Ryan assures her that he will let Maxine know she was headed home and that she felt OK.

After hanging up the phone, Ryan pulls out Valera's stool and sits down. He fights the wave of nausea rising in his throat and wonders why he is shaking. How could this entire staff not know that Valera's Mom had almost died. It had happened while she was on suspension though, and he knows that he never called to check on her the first time. He also realizes that probably no one else did either. He feels like a complete jerk. No wonder it seems like she is happy to see him one minute and mad at him the next. She is probably on an emotional rollercoaster every day. He just can't fathom why she wouldn't tell somebody. He realizes that in a selfish way, he is hurt that she didn't feel like she could tell him. He's been in the lab flirting with her almost every day and she never said a word. She's been going through this possibly alone. He is also frustrated to realize that he has no idea what kind of friends or anything that Valera has outside of work. Why has he not probed more into her personal life? She's so private, but he really hates now that he didn't prod her a little. He sits on the stool and has no idea what he will say to her, but knows that he cares too much to just walk out and let this go. He has no idea what he is going to do, but this time it will be something to help her and something good.

Ok, so there will be more than 2 chapters……………IF you review and pass the word! It's getting a little complex! ;-)