A/N: For some reason, this chapter took a lot out of me trying to get it out. The poem in the card came out of the top of my head. I hope you like it. Enjoy.

Roger

CHAPTER 5

It had been two months since the shooting and normalcy had returned to the department. Calleigh had come into work early to get a head start on a new case. She walked into the breakroom to see Alexx already there, standing next to a table and setting down a vase that was holding a dozen red roses.

"What's this?" Calleigh walked over to Alexx.

"Honey, these are for you. There actually was a delivery guy this morning when I came in. I just signed for them."

"Is it from…yes, it is!" Calleigh squealed with delight as she looked at the back of the card to see Ryan's name on it. "Ryan sent these."

"What's the occasion?" Alexx asked as Calleigh opened the card. Then it dawned on her. "Calleigh, is today your anniversary?"

"Yes. As of today, we have been together one year." Calleigh thought back to the moment she and Ryan kissed for the first time in ballistics a year ago. "He didn't forget." Calleigh smiled.

"Aww, that's so sweet of him. Bless his heart." Alexx said as her pager started buzzing. She looked at it. "I have to go. Duty calls. Give him a kiss for me when he comes in."

Calleigh smirked. "I'll give him a kiss big enough for the both of us."

Alexx chuckled as she left the breakroom. Calleigh went to read the card.

Calleigh-

These twelve roses mean so many different things:

How many seconds it takes before I start to miss you

How many times a minute I think about you

How many times I wish I can see you in a hour at work

How many times a day that I tell you that I love you

How many times we make love to each other in a week

Calleigh blushed at reading the last line. She continued to read on.

How many months we've been together

How many years I've wished we were already together for and finally

How many decades I want to spend my life with you. I love you Calleigh.

Ryan

Calleigh wiped the tears from her eyes. She was so moved from what she just read. She blew her nose as Valera walked in.

"Oh, hey Calleigh. You're here early." Valera paused as she saw the state that Calleigh was in. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Couldn't be any happier. Ryan sent me some roses." Calleigh moved slightly aside to show the roses to Valera.

"Lucky girl." Valera walked over to take a closer look. She suddenly let out a huge yawn. "Sorry." She said as she covered her mouth.

"That's ok. Long night?" Calleigh placed Ryan's card into her lab coat.

"It sure is. I don't leave for another hour." Valera had been on the night shift for about a month now. She still wasn't fully adjusted to the long hours, her mind still wanting to sleep during the night. "I came in to get my coffee for the umpteenth time. Is Ryan here too?"

"No, but he's probably on his way in now. He had these delivered for our anniversary."

"Did you have to remind him that's it's your anniversary?"

"Not at all." Calleigh said, with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Wow, I'm impressed. You have him trained well."

Calleigh laughed. "Trained?"

"Well, he does follow you around at times like a lovesick puppy, obeying your every command."

Calleigh grinned at Valera's analogy of Ryan. "Let's just say that he's 'trained' well because he's learned a lot of stuff that he never did before."

"Never did before, huh?"

"Well, he really didn't know anything about the love of a woman until he met me."

"Until he met you?" Valera stared at Calleigh. "You mean love like 'real love' or first time lov-" Valera noticed the reaction on Calleigh's face. Valera's mouth dropped. "No…"

"Um…" Calleigh started to blush. She didn't mean to talk this intimately about her relationship with Ryan to Valera.

"Are you telling me Cal, that he's a vir-"

"Was." Calleigh cut Valera off before she could finish her sentence.

"Oh, my god. Well, he is a little dorky. I guess that really didn't send the women into his direction. Present company excluded, of course."

"Thank you." Calleigh didn't know if she was just insulted or not. Valera noticed the scowl on her face.

"Calleigh, you know what I mean. I think he's very attractive, in a Alex P. Keaton kind of way. I don't mean it as a insult, just a observation."

"I know."

Valera paused for a moment. "Please don't mind me asking this, but is he good?"

A naughty smile formed on Calleigh's face. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Valera laughed. "Like I said, you have him trained well. Here, boy." Valera started imitating a person playing with a dog. Calleigh couldn't help but giggle. Just then, Ryan walked in.

"Maxine." Calleigh motioned to Valera to stop. Valera looked over to see Ryan standing in the doorway. She composed herself and grabbed her coffee. "I better get back to work. See you later, Cal."

Valera walked over to Ryan. "Nice collar," she said as she looked over Ryan while walking on by. Ryan was baffled but Calleigh knew what Valera meant. She quickly covered her mouth so Ryan wouldn't see her laugh.

"What was that about?"

"Oh, nothing." Calleigh answered.

As Ryan approached Calleigh, he looked behind her. "I see the roses came."

"Yes, they did. They're beautiful. So is the poem you wrote me. Come here, you." Calleigh reached up to pull Ryan down to kiss him. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Ryan wrapped his arms around Calleigh's waist and lifted her off the ground, kissing her the entire time.

Suddenly, they heard someone behind them clearing his throat. Ryan turned his head to see Horatio standing there. "I guess the anniversary wouldn't be complete unless H. was standing behind me." He whispered into her ear. Calleigh laughed as he set her down.

"Am I interrupting something?" Horatio asked.

"No, no. Everything's fine." Calleigh answered as she reached over to pick up the vase. "I better get to ballistics. See you later, sweetie." She stood on her tiptoes to give Ryan a quick kiss.

Ryan waited until she left the breakroom. "Horatio, I would like to speak to you for a moment."

"What is it about?" Horatio opened the cabinet to retrieve his coffee mug.

"It's about Calleigh."

"What about her?"

"I'm taking her to Lombardi's tonight for our anniversary." Ryan looked down at the floor.

Horatio poured himself a cup of coffee. "And?"

Ryan gave himself the nerve to look at Horatio in the eyes when he turned around to look at Ryan. "I'm going to ask her to marry me."

Horatio stood there and looked at Ryan. "Ok."

Ryan shifted his weight from one foot to another. "I want your permission to marry her."

Horatio gave Ryan a quizzed look. "Why me? Shouldn't you be asking her father for permission?"

"Horatio, you've been more of a father to Calleigh than her own father has. Besides, I'd rather get your blessing than his, given the circumstances."

Horatio slowly nodded in agreement. Ken was in prison, for vehicular manslaughter; his drinking and driving finally caught up to him. He was in for ten years.

Horatio walked over to Ryan. "Ryan…I'm very flattered that you want my blessing. For the year and a half that I've known you, you have gone way beyond proving yourself. I see how happy Calleigh is now that you're in her life. You give her the peace and happiness she deserves. I see nothing wrong with you wanting to be her husband. I would have to say yes…I give you my permission."

"Thank you, Horatio." Ryan leaned forward towards Horatio to hug him, then thought otherwise and stopped.

Horatio didn't hesitate. "It's ok." He pulled Ryan into a embrace. "Calleigh's a strong woman. She can handle a lot on her own. But you take care of her, ok?"

"I will." Ryan answered.

"I'm proud of you for your decision." Horatio released his hold on Ryan. "Good luck on tonight. I hope everything will work out for you."

"I'm sure it will."

to be continued…