Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of CSI: Miami. Unfortunately. Am just borrowing and they will be returned undamaged and in their original packaging.

Decision

Valera had been having a very bad few days. Luke kept ringing her, kept turning up, trying to talk to her, kept telling her he loved her and wanted her back and beginning her to dump Ryan and come back to him. She refused and began to sense that he was beginning to get desperate to get her back. Now she beginning to get worried that he was going to try and force her to break up with Ryan. She was worried that he was really going to try and hurt Ryan like he had threatened. He had threatened time and time again that he would harm Ryan if she didn't 'come to her senses'. She hadn't really believed that he would try to hurt Ryan but as he persisted in ringing her and hanging around outside the lab and constantly trying to speak to her, sending her small bouquets of flowers and small gifts, all of which she returned, she was getting more and more worried. He was getting desperate.

It was a few days until she realised exactly how desperate. It was the end of a shift and she and Ryan were discussing a case as they got ready to leave work.

'Ryan,' Calleigh said, coming over. 'Have you seen your car yet?'

Ryan frowned. 'No. Why?'

'Someone's slashed one of your tires.'

'What!'

The three went outside to where Ryan's car was parked. Calleigh was right. Someone had slashed the front left tire.

'Someone slashed my tire,' Ryan said. 'Someone slashed my tire.'

'We can see that,' Valera said to him. 'You don't need to keep saying it, Ryan. Just stay calm.'

He ignored her comment, staring at his car in bewilderment. 'I didn't think I'd annoyed anyone that much recently.'

'Maybe it was just random,' Calleigh said. 'Someone not liking the police at the moment, or maybe they just felt like it. Or a bet. Or something.'

Valera was about to agree when her phone beeped; someone had sent her a message. She pulled it out of her pocket, read the message and went cold.

Next time it won't just be a tire.

Luke. She didn't recognise the number; he had probably borrowed someone else's phone but she knew it was from him. He had done this. It was a warning and a message and a threat.

'Great,' Ryan said, raking his fingers through his hair. 'Just what I need. I can't afford new damned tires.'

'Your insurance company will pay,' Calleigh pointed out.

'Yeah, but I'll have to wait for the claim to go through. And in the mean time I still have to pay for them.'

'We'll process the tire,' Calleigh offered. 'See if we can pull anything off of it, maybe find out who it was.'

Valera wasn't listening anymore. Now she was worried. 'Ryan,' she said. 'I have to go, I just got a message from my mum, she needs me to rush home and help her out.'

Calleigh gave her a surprised look.

'It's important,' she explained. 'I'd stay but – '

'It's okay,' Ryan said. 'There's nothing you can do, anyway.'

'All right.' She glanced at Calleigh who said, 'I'll go and get my kit to try and get something off the tires,' and walked away.

Valera gave Ryan a hug. He hugged her back and kissed her. 'See you tomorrow,' he said.

'Right,' she said, not moving.

'I thought you were going home,' he said.

'I like it here better.' She looked over his shoulder and saw Eric and Horatio leaving the building, talking. They hadn't seen her and Ryan. She kissed him again very quickly, said goodbye and left.


Maxine got home and threw her bag down, pulled off her coat, kicked off her shoes and picked up the phone.

She called Luke's number and paced angrily until he answered. 'You slashed Ryan's car tire,' she said the moment he said hello.

'Maxine,' he said. 'How are you?'

'Pissed off,' she snarled. 'You slashed his tire!'

'Next time, it won't just be his tire.'

'Yeah, I got the message you sent. Leave him alone, Luke.'

'What's wrong, Maxine? You sound concerned.'

'Of course I'm concerned, you bastard. Leave him alone.'

'You keep saying that.'

'I figured if I say it enough times, you'll get the message.'

'I'll do what I have to do to get you back.' His tone was flat.

'Hurting Ryan will not bring me back to you,' she said, forcing herself to be calm. 'I thought I made my feelings about you perfectly clear. I don't want to be with you.'

'You so certain about that?' he asked, sounding amused.

'Yes. Leave Ryan out of this.'

'If I can't have you, no one can.'

'Luke, I don't want you.'

'You will.'

'No, I won't. I'm with Ryan now, and we are over. I'm never coming back to you.'

'You will.' The conviction in his voice frightened her. 'I won't let him keep you from coming back to me, Maxine. I want you back. He can't have you. I won't let him.'

'You are crazy,' she whispered.

'No, I love you,' he said calmly. 'If I can't have you, no one can. Especially not him. I'll make sure of that. Soon.'

He hung up.

Valera stared at the phone in horror for a minute. Then she dialled Ryan's mobile number. It was stupid of her, stupid of her to worry, because there was no way Luke could know where Ryan lived…but she need to make sure he was all right. She needed to hear his voice and know that he was okay.

It rang and rang.

'Come on,' she whispered. 'Pick up…'

He finally answered. 'Wolfe.'

'Ryan, it's me.'

'Hey,' he said, sounding pleased. 'Are you all right?'

'That was what I was ringing to ask you.'

'Me? Why?'

'What would have happened to me? Maxine? Is there something wrong?'

'N – no,' she said quickly.

She looked out of the window. Luke's car was there. She had suspected he might still be watching her, would have driven over to Ryan's instead of ringing him except that she couldn't risk Luke following her and finding out where Ryan lived.

'Maxine, are you okay?' Ryan sounded worried.

She hung up without saying goodbye. This had to end. She needed to do something to keep Luke away from Ryan, make sure that he didn't hurt Ryan. She bit her lip, torn by indecision about what she now decided she had to do, not sure whether she could. Her relationship with Ryan had to end, at least for now. Until she could get rid of Luke. If she didn't end it, the Ryan could get hurt. And she couldn't risk that.