-C-
To be honest: she had already expected him to say yes. She felt it, after everything that had happened, or didn't happen. Still it was a wonderful feeling, to hear how he said yes. And when he added "I'd love to." and smiled sweetly, so that she knew that he really meant it. She went out the room quickly, so he didn't hear her hard heartbeat. Afterwards she would have stuttered.

Actually she wanted to excuse herself for his nose again. Also, when she knows, that it isn't really her fault, still she had this small, bad conscience. When she had to watch, how he every time forcefully pinches or scratches his nose, there were the white band aid on his nose back sticks. (She can't help herself, somewhere it looks sooo charmingly!)

When she had to listen how the others made fun of it, especially Eric. Or how Horatio looked at him with that I-know-exactly-how-that-happened-look. Every time she sees Ryan, she has to laugh. Not that she laughs at him, or something, he just looks so damn sweet and frustrated and funny. It is more like a laugh from empathy.

A quarter to eight. Then it's time. The whole time at work she'd felt a strangle tingle in her stomach. A very interpreting tingle. It's not that it's bad. Somewhere nice. But good bad. Like, when you get a test back at school, and know that you have almost everything right and take a good grade home for sure. Exited. Anxious. Good. Yes, something like that.

Oh my god, what should she wear? Maybe she should go like this, how she always looks. Okay, she has to shape herself a bit, but not that much. She wants to look like she feels right now: happy. And it has to be comfortable. No unnecessary accessories, that only disturb. No shoes with high heels. Not to much make up, so that she has to run to the toilet at least every quarter to re-apply it. No dress that sits so tight that she can hardly move. No, maybe she should just go in her trousers. In her black, gracious ones, with the blazer that's just as black. Right. That's good.

Somewhere it's unbelievable. Somewhere so…rare, but in a good way, of course. A real, official date. No spontaneous walk. With Ryan, not with Marc, that…that bastard, as Ryan had called him. But it's right.

Stop. Marc has to be forgotten. Today she's going out with Ryan. He, who had been a good friend only. Maybe that's the rare part. In a good way, like said.

-R-
Nervous he stands in front of the mirror, runs a hand through his hair until it's frizzy. But he doesn't care. He only pays attention to his clothing. He hadn't really made himself chic, with a suit, or something. The whole time he had wondered if he should wear one, but somewhere…he doesn't know. He has this feeling that it wouldn't fit. He doesn't want her to think that he is gonna propose to her.

So he just chooses a black pull under, with a white shirt underneath it and a blue-gray pair of jeans, that have a little overthrow on the end. That's enough. Also a suit looks ridiculous when you have a white band-aid over your nose back. He cursed the thing. He looks so stupid with it.
Hopefully she doesn't dress up to much. Like she would come in a dress and…no. She wouldn't come in a dress. No way. For Marc maybe, but not for him. Hopefully.

Fifteen minutes to go and with every passing second, his heart seems to beat faster and his hands seem to tremble more. He just can't sit still, waiting, he can't. It only makes him more nervous. So he walks from one side of the room to the other, stands still for a moment, goes to the window, looks outside, maybe she comes a bit earlier, walks around the kitchen table three times, and stands still again next to the coffee machine. Should he take a…no, no more coffee today! Or at least not before the…date.

Date. A real date. With Calleigh. A real official date.
A real official date with Calleigh.

Then it rings. That's her. He wants to race to the door, open it and jump into her arms, but he forces himself to calm and slowly walk to the door, push the knob down patiently and open the door with a gentle push from his arms.

She looks amazing. No dress. But an elegant black blazer and underneath that a white, playful pointy upper section. She's wearing her hair down over her shoulder and again it's perfect. For a moment he is speechless, and has to concentrate on saying the next words without stuttering.
"You look great." His heart beats, like it's going to explode.

She smiles, and bends her head to the side. "Thanks. You too." She had said that only to be kind. With this band-aid on his nose he looks like an idiot. But he can't take it off. Something so stupid.

Shortly it is silent, each examines the other, each with a shy smile on the lips. Then Calleigh point behind herself with her thumbs to the yard, which already dipped from the dusk into golden light. Her car stands directly next to Ryan's.

"Can we go?"

Ryan coughs to make his voice sound normal. "Okay. We're going by car, not?" She grins. "Okay."

While she had asked him out on a date, he still has the idea he has to drive. To ask her, where they are going. That he had asked her out. He finds it funny, that it's the other way around.

They go to his car and he decides that they won't be silent during this trip.