In German my chapters are longer, because I didn't really understand how to post it here. So, now I'll make them shorter :P

- R –

Every time faint hopes rise up, forbidden hope, but he can't help. They just appear, sneaking in his mind and leaving not until all hopes are shattered; as it is now.

"I would do it myself but I have to call Marc again because of tonight."

Marc. Because of tonight.
Damn it!
He could kick against the frame he's just passing. He could knock over the garbage can. He could jostle everybody who walks past him without regret.
Always these stupid, hidden inklings just in front of him! That's what gets on his nerves but he can't avoid them. They hurt and they are making him furious. When will this stop? Soon, hopefully. He's becoming an emotional wrack.
Later that day, while driving home after work, his mood ran a deficit. He turns on the radio:

Obviously

She's out of my league

I'm wasting my time

Coz she'll never get mine and I know

I never will be good enough for her

It couldn't fit more perfect. He drives along the Miami Streets which are fully lighted at night, nearly a spectacle. Normally he loves watching this scenario, after an exhausting case the lights used to calm him down. But not tonight. He just wants to get home and fall asleep.
Well, if he could manage to sleep: probably he will lie awake and think about the situation. Shoot!
Now he gets to the calmer district of Miami where the nature dominates. He drives through the darkness, only the headlamps of his car show him the way of the street. The shadows of the trees and some small houses seem to fly past him.
About 15 minutes later he lies awake in his bed and can't fall asleep.

-C-

It was a nice date. Marc acted like a real gentleman, made her compliments, held the door open and drove her home. He was cute and also charming but that certain je ne sais quoi was missing. Something like that prickle when he took her hands or that beating of her heart when he just touched her – she didn't feel it. Nevertheless it was a beautiful evening – finally Marc is nice and modest and he knows how to treat a lady – perhaps it will lead to more, despite the missing "spice": he looks well although his middle parting is a bit outdated but nothing can be perfect. And in the case that she won't be able to convince him of a more modern hairstyle he still counts with his good character and his baby-blue eyes.
While lying alone in her warm and snugly bed at home she thinks of Ryan for short time: what he might do at that moment? Probably he's sleeping…
As soon as she starts thinking of him her bad conscience nibbles at her. Why did she say all that stuff? All she can do for now is hoping. Hoping that she is wrong in all of her presumptions or hoping that she didn't drive a wedge between them both. She doesn't want to lose Ryan.
Not to lose him. How that sounds. It sounds like…relationship. But there is nothing! Nothing more than friendship; at least for her part.
Ryan is angry. She feels it. He tries to avoid her, what is really difficult while working on a case together. But sometimes he asks Eric to handle out Calleigh his results. Eric doesn't understand his strange behaviour and wants to know what's going on.

"Do you both have struggle?" he asks Calleigh after Ryan sends him to her one more time, telling him he has do get s.th. important to done.
A deep sigh is the only answer he gets from her.
"Aha" Eric replies and walks on. Probably he just almost knows what's going on. It isn't that hard to focus it out.
But for now there are more important things to do so Calleigh gets back to work.

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Ooookay, very short…but I'll post the next chapter now (: