A/N: Set during Season 3. Altered events for "Lost Son", where Speed didn't die.. he just left CSI for storyline purposes. This is a one shot I was testing out.

Disclaimer; I don't own anything. All rights to CBS.

"Hey! What are you doing, Ry?" She asked in her usual southern drawl as she noticed him sat at his desk, effectively using his pencil to draw.

The former patrol officer set his drawing pad down, covering it with his arm. "Aha.. nothing. You should get going, I thought Jordan was taking you somewhere nice for your birthday?" Calleigh pulled the chair out from her desk and sat beside him at his. It was her birthday, though, it didn't mean she couldn't spend a bit of time with her friend. Jordan would wait for her. He finished his shift at seven, so she still had a while before she had to go. He'd been doodling in that pad since he finished his paperwork and Calleigh couldn't help but feel curious as to what he was getting up to.

Ryan was honestly a little embarrassed about his sketch. He was a good drawer, liked to draw in his spare time, but he didn't know what she'd think of his latest sketch. Wolfe had outlined the monotone drawing with a yellow marker and he'd spend mass amounts of time on the attention to detail. When his OCD got a little out of control, he found that drawing helped him relax. But this drawing, it was much more personal to more than just him.

"I still have time.. what'cha drawing?" She inquired, a smile forming upon her face as she tilted her head.

He pursed his lips, his cheeks reddened as the thought of her finding out what he'd been drawing making him awfully shy. "It's not very good, Cal. Your present is in my Hummer."

Calleigh chuckled. "I promise I won't judge. I'm just a little curious.. can't help myself." She gave a little shrug and he exhaled deeply. She was horribly convincing. But he still was reluctant to allow himself to show her. Duquesne wanted to know and it was killing her that she didn't know. The ballistics expert didn't know if it was because he was still a little timid, or if it was something she had said that made him so hesitant to trust her.

"I know. I like your optimism though, it's.. enlightening to say the least.."

"Enlightening?" She gushed.

Ryan nodded to her shyly. He'd not meant to say that aloud, too late now though. She was so buoyant and high-spirited, her glee was inevitably contagious. Her presence could change even the worst of moods. Yellow reminds him of her, because of her personality. She was bright and beautiful. It was no secret that over the course of the year, he'd found himself liking her more and more. Calleigh Duquesne lit him up like a fire and he couldn't avoid the things she did to his heart. It raced every time he looked at her. "Very."

They got lost gawking at one another, green on green. Ryan, not feeling as worried as he had been, unhurriedly removed his arm from the notepad. Calleigh's eyes widened at what she saw. It was a sketch of her from the shoulders up with a full smile on her face. The realistic value of the drawing made it hard to look away from. He'd put so much detail into it and she was trying to find a way to describe her amazement.

"I, um.."

"It- it's amazing, Ryan.. I love it."

Maybe she hadn't noticed how much attention he paid to her. On the page, he had little doodles on the edges that made it that little bit more special. It had taken time to do something as well as that. That would explain why he was drawing whenever he could — this is what he'd been up to. At the top of the page, it read 'Happy Birthday Cal!' in his small, neat handwriting, and had a little stanza underneath.

It was titled with the word: Sunshine.

"Calleigh Duquesne, brightly blonde, with both wit and beauty. Firearms enthusiast and shopaholic, presence that conveys confidence and optimism, like sun after rain."

That smile he adored appeared on her face as she was flattered, taking in every word. Ever since he joined the team, they'd spent a lot of their free time together just talking. Conversing aimlessly like they'd known each other for so much longer. This was the first time in a long time, that Calleigh had felt all tingly and warm inside. It was such a cute gesture. Something out of adoration and admiration. The way he used one color along with the several monotone shades for the aesthetic of the meaning behind the drawing.

She spun her chair to face his and then spun his to face her. "Thank you, sunshine."

Ryan laughed. "I'm.. glad you like it."

"I adore it," She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "..Je t'aime." Calleigh whispered into his ear as she'd merely pulled away from his cheek. Her warm breath against his cold skin made him shiver. Ryan was at a loss for words when she'd just told him that she loved him.

He loved her. As if it hadn't been evident enough already that his feelings were of the romantic kind. Ryan didn't want to keep pretending that he was fine with being just friends, especially when their jobs were as dangerous as they were. His illustrations seemed to say more than he did; not purposefully.

"Don't be afraid to tell me how you feel."

"I won't.. not anymore."

Ryan was the type of introverted person that never really allowed himself to open up in fear of that effort being all for nothing. He'd never been with someone he deemed worth of allowing them to get close to him emotionally, as well as physically. That emotional connection he had never really experienced before, he felt with Calleigh. They didn't need to sleep together to determine what was there and what wasn't. Their intimacy had been on a platonic platform although it portrayed the feelings they'd developed for one another.

Neither of them had ever been in love. Not completely. There was always that uncertainty within the relationship. However, Calleigh felt that Ryan was different to everybody else she'd been involved with before. And it was on more than just physical aspects. His focus wasn't just on physicality and bedroom antics, it also consisted of that trust he needed before he could truly open himself up to someone. They took the time to build up their relationship and didn't straight rush into anything.

"Bon anniversaire," He whispered, catching her lips in a longer, more passionate kiss that was returned at the second.

"Thank you, Ryan." She smiled as they pulled apart, still sitting closely.

fin.