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.
Into His Arms
It was a few days later.
Valera swore softly to herself, furious with herself. 'Now what am I going to do?' she muttered to herself, rooting through her bag. She had forgotten to bring her mobile with her and didn't have any change for a payphone.
She had gone out with some friends, no one from the crime lab. They had gone to a couple of parties and clubs. Not that she had been in a party mood, but she had thought it would cheer her up.
She couldn't have been more wrong.
The first couple of hours had been good fun. She had enjoyed spending time with some friends she hadn't seen for a while. They had had fun, danced and drank and had a good time.
Then they had moved onto a couple of different clubs and things had changed a bit. One guy had kept coming on to her, refused to take no for an answer and when she had finally given him a piece of her mind, had insulted her and sworn at her.
Then it turned out that the guy had a girlfriend who, realising that he had been hitting on Valera, had taken exception and started shouting and swearing at the both of them. Which, she thought, had been distinctly unfair since she had had no idea that the guy wasn't single and since she had told him to get lost herself several times.
No one else had bothered to take her side, most of them being too drunk or too wrapped around their various dates. She had finally left on her own, too angry to bother waiting for the others to get bored and decide to go home. Then she had realised she had no phone to ring for a cab, no change in her purse to call for one, the couple of people she had asked for change had ignored her or flatly refused and one man had mistaken her for a hooker.
She stood on the side of the street, desperately trying to find some change out of her purse when the guy who had started all the trouble came over. He had a couple of friends with him.
'You little bitch,' he yelled at her. 'You totally ruined my night, get that?'
'Great, because you ruined mine too,' she shouted back at him. 'Get lost, you loser.'
He came after her, grabbing drunkenly for her. 'You what?'
She yanked her arm out of his grip. 'Get lost!'
He grabbed her arm again. 'Listen, you – '
Valera shoved him backwards. 'I told you to get lost!' she yelled in his face. One of his friends pushed her back towards the first guy. They were both laughing at her. The first guy was laughing too, now.
'Hey, come on.' He pulled her arm again. 'Forget what I said just now. You look like a girl who knows how to have fun. You wanna come have some fun with us?'
'No.' Valera yanked her arm away. She took a step away. The last friend grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
'Come on, baby,' he said, grinning. 'You can't just go running away like this – '
'Not after all the drinks he bought you,' the second one said.
Valera stamped on the foot of the one holding her. He yelled and shook her arm. 'You little bitch!' he growled. Then he smiled. 'Wow, I like a girl with spirit.'
She hissed through her teeth angrily and tried to pull away again. Too much to drink had sapped at her strength and her coordination. He was hurting her arm.
'Come on,' he leered at her. 'Have some fun, baby.'
'Let go!' she snapped, trying to break his hold on her arm. His friends laughed.
'Hey,' a voice said.
Everyone looked around. Valera had never felt so relieved to see anyone in her life.
It was Ryan. He looked annoyed. 'She just told you to leave her alone,' he said quietly, calmly.
The leader stared at him. 'It's none of your business what's going on,' he said. 'She's coming with us for some fun. She's a fun girl.'
Ryan smiled contemptuously. 'Guys like you never understand that no means no, do you?' he said. 'Let her go.'
The man let her arm go, only because his temper was rising. She stepped away sharply. 'You're going to get yourself into trouble, interfering with people like that,' he said.
'It's nothing I can't handle,' Ryan said, still calm. 'Now go away and we forget this ever happened.'
'Nah,' the man said. 'No one tells me what to do.' He started rolling up his sleeves, grinning unpleasantly. His friends were also grinning.
'This is trouble you don't want,' Ryan said. He didn't move. 'Trust me, just go on your way without any more trouble.'
'I think you're the one who'll be in trouble.'
'I told you to go,' he said. 'This is your final chance. Just go, quietly.'
'Or what?' the leader said, glaring. Now he was really spoiling for a fight. He took up an aggressive stance again.
'Or you can get arrested for attempted assault,' Ryan replied.
The man grinned. 'You couldn't prove anything.'
'You want to bet on that?' Ryan pulled the side of his jacket, revealing the badge and gun. 'Attempted assault upon a police officer.' He paused. 'A CSI,' he added for extra emphasis. 'Or you can have another choice - you can leave now.'
They decided to leave.
When they had gone, Ryan turned to Valera. 'You all right?' he asked shortly.
'You didn't need to rescue me,' she said coldly.
'Oh, so next time I should just carry on walking and leave you to whatever trouble they were about to give you?' He put his hands in his pockets and gave her a dirty look. He was dressed smartly in a black suit and white shirt and she thought he looked great.
'You been out?' she asked, not quite daring to ask if it had been on a date and definitely not wanting to know if it had gone well.
He answered the question she didn't ask. 'Dinner. With my family. Again. I was driving on my way past when I saw you seemed to be in some trouble.'
'Well, thanks,' she said awkwardly.
'I'll give you a ride,' he said.
She thought of refusing, but she didn't. It would have been stupid to, even of she couldn't bear being near him, couldn't bear sensing the hurt he was feeling.
'Thanks,' she said.
'Thank you for the lift,' she said as he pulled up outside her apartment building.
'You're welcome,' he replied, his tone coolly formal.
'I was – just about to end up in trouble,' she said.
'I could tell.'
'Ryan – ' she began and then realised that saying anything was useless. 'I think I should go.'
He didn't say anything but as she moved to open the car door, he caught her arm. 'I really care about you,' he said. It was said with such genuine feeling, not expecting a reply but simply being honest with his feelings for her, she almost cried. She hated Luke for what he was doing, what he was taking from her. Hated him.
She lent across the seat and kissed Ryan on the cheek. Then, without realising she was going to until she did, on the lips. He responded hesitantly, clearly afraid she was going to start shouting at him, and when she didn't he pulled slid his arms around her, drawing her close against him. His hands were on her back, holding her against him. She ran her hands through his short hair, caressing the back his neck, sliding over his shoulders and pulling at the collar of his shirt, unbuttoning it and running her hands over his exposed skin. She could feel his heart racing, was breathing him in, feeling his hands running over her body, gentle but fierce at the same time, and she could think of nothing except him.
She opened her eyes for a moment, turning her head and stifled a cry of horror.
There was a man with blond hair walking past the building. For a terrifying moment she thought it was Luke, but she couldn't see clearly and he carried on walking.
The moment brought her to her senses. Or made her lose them, she thought later.
She tried to tell Ryan to stop but she couldn't. She couldn't make herself because she didn't want him to. More than anything at that moment she wanted to stay here, tangled in his arms. Wanted to ask him to come upstairs with her, wanted him to stay over for the night.
She forced herself to plant her hands on his shoulders and pushed him forcefully away from her. She yanked her hands away before she could pulled him back against her.
'Stop,' she whispered.
He stared at her. He was breathing rapidly and he looked confused. 'Maxine?'
'Just don't,' she said softly. He reached out to touch her arm. 'Don't touch me! Just – just stay away from me, Ryan!' She opened the car door. 'Leave me alone,' she added in a flat tone, giving him an icily furious look as he reached out towards her. He jerked back as if she had punched him. She couldn't stand to see the expression of horrified hurt on his face. 'I don't want you near me,' she said forcefully and slammed the car door. She didn't notice she had left her purse on the floor of the car.
Valera hurried for the door of her apartment building. She heard Ryan's car start up and drive away, fast. He wasn't going to come after her. She didn't blame him. She ran up the stairs, a hand clasped against her mouth to hold in her sobs, and fumbled for her keys as she ran.
She reached her apartment and unlocked it, slammed it, locking it, and collapsed onto the floor in tears.
