Chapter 116

*Guuyysss, I'm writing Psych on Thursday (and I've past the level of stress I don't even know how to feel anymore), and my brain is about to explode. So instead I went to typing this chapter quickly, before I continue hitting the books again*

Sometime during the night Ryan's phone rang. At first he thought he can ignore it and that it'll stop ringing without him having to answer it, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. He turned around groaning and glancing at the name on the screen before he answered.

"O'Connor?" He groaned. It was one thing to be awoken by your boss when you've overslept but to have him call you past midnight is something else.

"That undercover case I told you about a few days ago, you're on it in the morning." Liam confirmed.

"I don't even know what it's all about. How will I have enough time to prepare if I'm starti…"

"That's why I need you to come in earlier so I can inform you on what you should do. Oh take off your wedding ring and leave your phone at home. I'll explain all of it to you when you get here." Liam ended the call leaving the Special Agent with a bunch of questions running through his mind all at once. And all hopes he had of sleeping had vanished.

He glanced over at Alex who was stirring in her sleep and opened her eyes briefly. "Who calls at this time?" She asked curling up against him.

"Wrong number. Go back to sleep." He instructed her, massaging her scalp gently as her breathing evened out, indicating that she was asleep, trying to calm his mind so he can fall asleep as well.

Trying his best not to wake Alex he got out of bed and got ready for the day. When he got out of the shower she was awake already, looking at him with unspoken questions she expected him to answer.

"Why are you up so early?" He asked buttoning up his shirt.

"I can ask you the same thing."

Ryan took a deep breath, walking towards her side of the bed, sitting down and facing her. "I'm going undercover today. I don't know for how long or what it will entail, I'm about to find that out now." He explained trying to read her face, but she just nodded her head.

"Okay, please be careful Ryan." She told him staring into his eyes, and he leaned forward kissing the top of her head and she settled back under the covers, for a few more hours of sleep before she has to get up, not noticing he slid his ring off and put it in the drawer on his side of the bed and leaving without his cellphone.

The office was strangely quiet and looked weird at 06:00 in the morning. No one walking in and out and no sound of telephones ringing constantly or the sound of the elevator doors opening. Ryan worked his way to Liam's office, surprised to see he wasn't alone. A dark haired female, with a fair complexion, hair tied up in a sleek bun as she's looking through some files.

"Ryan, thanks for coming in on such short notice. Meet Ursula Taylor, the two of you will working on this case together." Liam introduced and the two of them shook hands, Ryan still skeptical about the whole thing.

"All right, I asked you to leave your wedding ring at home because for this I need the two of you to be engaged, which is why I didn't ask Ursula to take hers off." Liam started. "Ursula is the accountant at an insurance company, and she recently found out her bosses are dealing in fraud cases. They quote more money than what is actually needed and pocket the excess money, sending it out to illegal diamond smuggling across the border." Liam ended looking at Ryan to see if he is still following.

"So where you come in, is that I need to you pretend to be a client who knows about the scam but wants to invest in it. So you and Ursula are dating and you did some digging and heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend that they're smuggling with those stones."

"Your phone will probably be tapped by them and they'll see the messages between the two of you that will give them an indication that it's a real thing. You'll be sending the messages from your laptop and it'll go to your phone, long story short they'll end up seeing it." He explained the technical parts to them but that's not what Ryan was worried about. "If you impress tem enough they'll calla and invite you to a round table discussion on where and how the deal will go through. We'll listen in and bust them on the spot."

Ryan nodded that he understood and looked through the files Liam presented him on the guys and what they look like, and what he should expect from them. They look notorious enough as if they'll have no regret about what happens when their fingers accidently slip on the trigger. Gathering their wits and going over their game plan and their new persona's they have to create in a few hours before they jump head first into this thing.

Alex walked into the office, out of breath because she overslept and was hasty to get everything done and make it to the office in time, before she got another lecture. Proof that if Ryan was still at home he would've woken her up when he got up, but she couldn't use that as an excuse. She was greeted by her three friends who stood at the door waiting for her. She had no idea why, but as soon as she came into sight, they walked towards her and led her to the cafeteria.

"Okay, please stop acting weird." Alex said since none of them said a word to her but direct her to a table and they all sat down. Ordering some hot chocolate and donuts before they started talking.

"About yesterday. Are you feeling better?" Nimah asked looking at her.

"I'm sorry for being all bitchy and grumpy with you guys. I feel better than I did. Not myself yet but I'll get there." She smiled and the other three nodded.

"You know where to find us when the going gets tough, okay?" Natalie said who sat next to her and squeezed her hand.

When their order arrived they looked around each other, and Alex offered to pay, but the girls directed her otherwise. "Put it on Simon Asher's tab." Nimah smiled at the waiter and she nodded.

"We cannot keep doing that, this is really the last time." Alex laughed putting her purse back in her bag, finishing their breakfast before they headed back to get their day started.

Ryan and Ursula or more like Derick Wiley, Ursula's fiancé headed out after they sorted out their identities and occupation. And Ursula directed him on what to say when and what not to say and who the big bosses are when they arrive at the office, as they drove down towards her workplace.

Turns out they'll only be back in office at the end of the day, and they couldn't turn around to go anywhere. Deciding to fit the role of the engaged pair that they supposedly were and went about walking around town, checking out little shops until they finally sat down for some coffee at a small restaurant. A place where Ursula usually hangs out since the waiter recognized her and asked around about who the gentleman is she's with, because no one has met her fiancé yet.

"Derick Wiley, the hidden military fiancé, Ryan introduced himself to the waiter who seemed impress, and Ryan couldn't wait until she left that he can ask her all the questions he's been burning to know.

"Okay, I have to ask. You're engaged and no one has met your fiancé yet?" Ryan asked looking at her.

"Hey, she just met him!" Ursula laughed seeing a smile appear on Ryan's face.

"His name is Derick. We got engaged about a month ago, he's a soldier. Which is why no one never really see him." She explained. "And, just in case you don't believe me, here's the pictures." She provided evidence to Ryan. "Enough about me now, I heard you had to take of your wedding ring for this, so please explain to me why you're cheating on me." Ursula smiled waiting on him to give some more information about him.

"Technically, since you're aware of it, I wouldn't call it cheating. But yes, I'm married for a year now. Alex is an amazing woman, and have an eleven month old daughter. She's actually turning one in two weeks." Ryan said smiling showing her some pictures of his family.

"She looks like a younger version of her mother!" Ursula exclaimed seeing the striking resemblance there is between Alex and Phoebe.

"Uuhhmm, you are not looking properly, she looks like me." Ryan said when she handed the few pictures back he kept in his wallet.

"Yeeaahh, I'm sure the next one will look like you." Ursula said thanking the waiter when she brought their food.

They ate and had some more small talk about their personal lives, before they decided to go back to the car and see if the people they were looking for would be in the office by now. A video call they got on Ryan's laptop from Liam informed them that Ryan's phone has been tapped, and if they want to clinch this deal they need to send some seriously lovey and soppy text messages to make it look legit. The couple shared a look and Ryan shrugged. Ursula took the laptop and started typing away, looking at Ryan for approval before sending it to his phone.

"That's a bit heavy." He said but it was too late since she hit sent already.

"That's what lovers do." She shrugged, trying not to laugh at the facial expression of her "fiancé".

Alex's phone started ringing bringing her back to the present after she's been loaded with paperwork she tried to get through. Panic set in when she saw it's the day care calling.

"Marci, is everything okay?" Alex asked without greeting.

"Hi yes everything's fine. You seem to have forgotten to pack Phoebe's bottles, because I can't find any in her bag." The caregiver told the mother, and in the haste this morning Alex remembered that she left the bottles and the formula on the counter.

"I am so sorry. I'll head home and bring it to you as soon as I can."

Alex left 10 minutes before lunch time, asking the girls to cover for her in case Maranda found put she was MIA again. When she entered the house she saw the bottles and the formula on the kitchen counter where she'd left it this morning. Heading to the nursery to see if there is anything else she'd missed, and then upstairs to the bedroom making sure she packed everything. Her attention shifted to Ryan's phone that was still plugged in on the charger on his bedside. Not sure if he forgot it and is she should take the chance and take it to the office to give to him. Deciding against it all together she left it there and made her way to the bedroom door when the phone buzzed. Thinking it might be her scatterbrained husband who is looking for his device, she walked back and saw the two text messages from an unknown number.

Can't wait to see you today. 24 hours is way too long to wait. ;)

"What?" Alex said softly as she read the first text, and then the second one that was much more explicit than the first one. Not knowing what to make of all of this, she set the phone back down with shaking hands. Taking a deep breath she sat down on his side of the bed, staring at the phone. Opening the drawer on his side of the bed looking for a pen so she can write the number down because her phone is downstairs in her purse, she came across his wedding ring. All the evidence she needed in one place and he didn't even have the decency to hide it from her. Suddenly it all made sense, the phone call he got this morning and then telling her it's a wrong number. Asking her why she was up so early in the morning when he came out of the shower. The so called undercover case he had to go on. Her blood was boiling, how long has this been going on and she was probably the last one to find any of this out. Scribbling the number down on her hand, determined to call the number before the end of the day she walked back out, taking her daughter's bottles with her, and drove off.

Taking up their role as the in love couple they are, Ryan and Ursula walked into the office building. She stuck to her story of taking the day off to get him at the airport, and that he'll only be in town for a few days before he has to go back. So far it worked out because everyone at the office believed it, and he fact that she didn't have a picture of him at her desk made Ryan at ease to go along with the story. She gave him some insurance papers and explained some things to him when one of her bosses walked past.

"Didn't you take the day off?" He asked looking at her.

"Yes, sir I did. I just needed to pick up some papers I wanted to complete before the weekend. Seeing that I have another mathematical wiz with me, I might get through it in record time." She smiled.

"Military and a brain for numbers. Seems like the two of us need to have a talk before you leave. I might have some hiccups with border security whenever I take the old fashioned way and send something though the post, seems like you're just the right man. Elliot Davis, please to meet you." The man held out his hand towards Ryan.

"Derick Wiley, nice to meet you sir." Ryan returned the firm handshake. "Elliot please. I look forward to seeing you again before you leave." Elliot said before leaving the two of them alone. When he left the two of them nodded at each other indicating that the plan is going smoother than expected. And they had some good news to share with Liam. They got back into the car and video called Liam again telling him how things are going and that he'll set up the meeting with Elliot tomorrow or the day after.

"Celebratory lunch, Ursula Wiley?" Ryan asked looking at her.

"Hold your horses, my name didn't change just yet." She laughed. "And you're not the real Derick Wiley, but your role play deserves an award. Let's go eat." She suggested and they drove off looking for a place to enjoy their late lunch.

Alex walked back into the office, and tried to keep her cool and keep her head in the game by focusing on the task at hand. But it's as if the number on her hand burnt her flesh and she couldn't wait to dial it and see who will pick up on the other end. After an hour of starring at the computer screen she went outside and dialed the number on her cellphone. No one answered and it went to voicemail but she will certainly call again, until someone picks up.

For some reason Maranda was in a rather chirpy mood and allowed her team to go home an hour earlier than usual. No one complained but they weren't sure how what to make of it as they gathered their stuff and went outside.

Alex stopped in front of the house not seeing Ryan's car in the driveway, and waiting until the usual time before she goes off to get Phoebe. They need to talk about where they stand first, and she'd like to do so when her daughter is not present. She paced back and forth in the kitchen after she got his cellphone and ring from the bedroom, keeping it in her hand while walking up and down so she can confront him when the time comes.

She heard his car pull up and they key turn in the lock, but that didn't stop her from pacing up and down.

"Hey, you're home early." He noticed when he saw his wife, but she barely took note of what he'd just said.

"Uhm yeah." She answered looking up at him confused not knowing what to actually say to him, or maybe she's trying to see if she can notice something different, a lipstick stain on his shirt, or a smell of perfume that's not hers.

"Is everything okay?" Ryan asked walking closer to her.

"No it's not. It's far from being okay. Who is she?" Alex asked, placing his cellphone with the text messages, multiple more came throughout the day that she didn't bother reading, together with his wedding ring. "You didn't even have the decency to hide it. Am I the last one to find out about this?"

"Okay, please listen to m…"

"No! I don't want to hear it Ryan, that phone call you got this morning and you told me it's a wrong number. You leaving before daylight and not being at work all day making up some story of going undercover when Liam and the rest of your team were at work! How long has this been goin.."

She couldn't finish her sentence because his phone rang in the middle of the table where Alex had put it both of them staring down at the vibrating electronic device, no caller ID flashing on the screen.

"Don't let me stop you from answering it." She shrugged and Ryan groaned loudly reaching over to answer his phone.

"Ryan, we lost them." Liam said not even giving Ryan a chance to ask who he was speaking to since there was no caller ID.

"What do you mean? We did everything you told us to." Ryan answered honestly confused.

"Well someone called the number, and since Elliot's guys tapped your phone his Tech guys tracked it, and it came from somewhere in the office building. Long story short they did some digging through your phone and found out it was a front. They disappeared and we can't find a location on them."

"So it' a cold case now." Ryan concluded Liam's sentence.

"Yeah, I need all the evidence, if any for tomorrow's debriefing." Liam ended the phone call and Ryan still had a long way to go to convince his wife that her jealousy is unnecessary.

Ryan took a deep breath, Alex stood on the other side of the kitchen counter still waiting on an explanation, now the phone call is part of it since he didn't mention any names.

"Did you call the number those messages came from?" He asked with a lot of calmness in his voice.

"Yes, I did." She answered not sure why that question is even relevant if it was the obvious thing to do. "Why? Because you didn't want me to find out who you're seeing behind my back?"

He took a seat on the opposite side of the counter, putting his phone down looking her in the eyes. "Why do you always assume the worst of me? First the whole ordeal with Roxanne and now this, I've asked you before and I'm asking you again if I've ever given you any reason to doubt me, Alex?"

"So if you saw those kinds of signs coming from me you wouldn't be thinking the same thing?"

"Don't turn this around! You need to stop overreacting!" Rhayn raised his voices taking a calming breath before continuing.

"Alex, you need to stop comparing me to everyone in your past. If I found out after all these years we've been together that I didn't want to be with you, I would've left a long time ago. " He said running a hand over his face in frustration.

"I was undercover, working with Ursula Taylor who pretended to by my fiancé. Nothing happened, I had a potential meeting with her boss, to expose their fraud and their illegal diamond smuggling across the border. But the deal fell through when they traced the call, and the guys are MIA." He told Alex who was still standing frozen in the same position.

"So, last night's phone call?" She asked walking closer to a chair.

"Liam."

"Those messages?"

"I was sitting next to her when she typed it." He answered again.

" I have debriefing tomorrow morning, you're welcome to come sit in if you still don't believe me. Alex we can't be arguing about the same thing everytime, we need to move past this."

She sat down opposite him, elbows probed up on the counter with her fingers entwined in her hair.

"I'm sorry for overreacting." She whispered too embarrassed to look up at him.

He didn't say anything to her in return, he took his wedding ring from the counter and inserted it onto his finger where he'd taken it off the morning, standing up from the table sighing heavily.

"I'm going to get Phoebe."

"Okay." Alex whispered, not sure if he heard when she heard the front door close.

Guys I feel like this case is all over the place I hope you could follow. I gave myself two hours to finish it before I continued studying again so I really hope it's not too much of a disappointment. This is another request I got from one of the *guests* I really hope I did it justice. And added a tinge of unsolved drama between them (I'm sorry but I love to spice things up every now and then.) Thank you for reading and let me know what you guys think.

Lovies-S