Chapter 2
Horatio quickly and cautiously entered first and flicked the light on as Zoë followed closely behind.
Horatio dropped his gun as Zoë heard him let out a small pain-ridden groan.
"Horatio?" Zoë asked wondering what he was doing, she saw that the bathroom was clear as she looked back at him. His body began to slowly fall to the floor.
"Horatio!" She called as she put her gun away. She entered the bathroom and leapt over him then looked up to the light switch, she could see a small exposed wire as a few sparks catapulted away from it where a small amount of Horatio's skin had been fried.
"Horatio? Can you hear me?" She called again and then very gently rolled him over deeming it safe as she had witnessed him fall safely.
She took a pulse instantly but felt nothing, it felt like her heart stopped beating in the sheer panic that threatened to overwhelm her.
"RYAN!" She screamed at the top of her lungs before adjusting his head to clear his airways. 'Come on, focus, he needs you to focus! Don't panic, he's going to be fine.' Zoë thought to herself, taking a deep breath as she pulled his jaw forwards and then checked his pupils which where unreactive. 'No circulation! Fuck sake! What fucking idiot leaves an exposed wire in a god damn light switch!'She yelled in her head.
She took a deep breath, pinched his nose and then sealed her mouth around his, giving him a rescue breath. She watched his chest fall and then repeated the action as Ryan ran in with his gun drawn. She looked up at him.
"My first aid kit, now!" She ordered as he put his gun away and his eyes widened in shock, she pulled her keys out of her pocket and threw them at him and he turned and ran, his own heart feeling like it had stopped beating.
"Come on Horatio!" She almost ordered as she placed her hands on his chest and began chest compressions.
"Horatio, don't do this to me. Come on." She pleaded loudly. Once she finished she checked his pupils again, they were still unreactive – indicating that there was no circulation. She gave him two more rescue breaths when began chest compressions again as Ryan ran back in with her massive first aid bag. Frank and a patrol officer also ran in after him.
"Get an ambulance now!" She ordered Frank, both Frank and the officer ran back out.
"Horatio come on honey!" She said as she was forceful with the compressions, feeling his ribs give way under her hands. Ryan dropped to his knees with the first aid kit in hand the other side of Horatio. Ryan looked down at his boss's weary, pale face and swallowed.
"Ryan, unbutton his shirt." She directed as she leaned down, then gave him two more rescue breaths. Ryan immediately began un-doing Horatio's shirt and swallowed when he saw a scar on his abdomen from when Walter Resden had stabbed him back in New York. 'Oh God, that must have been bad, it's massive.' Ryan thought, unable to concentrate on the situation at hand, more than likely because his brain was trying to distract him from the fear of watching his boss being resuscitated and the utter terror on the face of the woman he has strong feelings for.
Zoë quickly pulled her kit over to her and opened it, pulling out two large AED pads. She pulled his shirt apart and it fell to the floor beside him. She ripped the foil packets open and pulled the pads out, then placed them on his chest in the right positions.
"Come on Horatio, I know you can do this." She said looking down at him. She then pulled the AED out.
"Ryan, can you place a tube?" She asked as she attached the leads to the pads.
"No" he squeaked looking up at her. She handed him a pulse oximeter.
"Put this on his finger." She said as she placed the AED down on the floor. She then gave him another two rescue breaths while the AED warmed up. She pulled out her stethoscope and listened to his chest.
The machine stated that no detectible heart rhythm was found.
"Make sure you're clear" she said as she moved away from him and Ryan did the same, she then delivered the shock. She listened to his chest again as the machine stated that no detectible heart rhythm was found again.
She gave him two more rescue breaths and shocked him again.
"Come on handsome!" She pleaded as she listened to his chest again then gave two more rescue breaths. She gave him one last shock and his body jerked as the machine stated that there was a detectible heart rhythm, she listened to his chest while she looked over at the machines screen.
"Good, well done Horatio." She said as she shuffled up to his head and knelt with her knees level with his ears, either side of his head. She quickly pulled on some gloves and then listened for his breathing.
She sighed and then pulled out a laryngoscope and placed a tube down his throat to help maintain his airway. She didn't have a bag or anything on her to breathe for him, but he seemed to be doing well on his own now with the tube there. 'Oh thank God, oh my gosh. What the hell just happened? Focus, Zoë.' She thought as she looked down at his limp, unconscious body.
"Horatio, can you hear me?" She asked loudly as she looked into his eyes with a pen torch.
"Is he okay?" Ryan asked shakily.
"I think so." She said as she glanced back up to the sparking plug.
"Horatio, open your eyes for me." She said as she rubbed his sternum. Frank came back up.
"We can't get through on our radios or phones." He said, once he saw the stressed and the I'm-not-going-to-take-any-shit facial expression.
"Well go and find the signal jammer then!" Zoë ordered, exceptionally stressed.
Horatio let out a small moan as she rubbed his sternum once more.
"That's it honey, come on." She said softly. He began to gag with the tube down his throat as his body tensed slightly.
"Open your eyes and I'll take it out." She said loudly with her hands on either side of his face. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her.
"Well done honey, breathe out for me in 3...2…1" she pulled the tube out delicately as he exhaled.
She threw it over to the floor and lent over him again and checked his eyes.
"How are you feeling honey?" She asked stroking both of his cheeks with her thumbs with her face roughly about 20cms from his. He began to close his eyes again and she leant over and rubbed his sternum again, instantly waking him up.
"Can you answer me Horatio? How are you feeling?" She asked loudly.
"Sweetheart…" He croaked as he brought his left hand up and went to place it over her hand, but she stopped him.
"Well done Horatio, stay still for me." She said as she shuffled round and pulled a bottle of saline up out of the bag. Horatio turned his head and looked over at her, also looking over at Ryan. He had no energy to do anything, not even to pull the shirt closed over his chest. He didn't have the slightest clue as to what was going on or what had happened, but he just watched Zoë tentatively.
"This may sting, okay?" She said softly as she cleaned the burn, it was only small and not too serious, but could lead to infection if she left it out any longer.
She ripped open a burns bandage and wrapped the wound in it. She placed her hand on his chest and tenderly looked down at him. He looked up into her eyes, but she quickly looked round, away from him.
"FRANK, have you got it?" She shouted as he rushed in and Horatio placed his hand over hers on his bare chest.
"No" he replied, almost fearful of her reaction, he then looked at her then down at Horatio, wanting to get away from the glare she gave him.
"We're taking him then." She said and then she listened to his chest again as she looked back round.
"Horatio, we're going to take you to hospital." She said warmly as she unattached the leads on his chest and put the stethoscope around her neck. She threw the AED in the bag.
"Do you need a hand?" Frank asked.
"Yes please." She said softly, looking up to him as she placed her hand on Horatio's chest once more, giving him a small comfort.
Frank stepped in and leant against the door frame as he stepped over Horatio.
"Frank! Get away from the wall! I can't be dealing with two patients at the moment!" She said quickly and terrified. Frank instantly moved away from the wall and stepped back outside.
"Don't worry, we've got him." She said as she looked back down at Horatio and exhaled.
"Sweetie, do you think you can walk?" She asked Horatio softly. 'She's calling him sweetie? That's my nickname…' Ryan thought to himself, jealous.
"Yes." He said as he started to sit up.
"Stay still, let us do the hard work." She said as she placed her hand firmly on his chest, keeping him down.
Zoë placed the bag on her shoulder and then firmly planted her hands under his arm, Ryan doing the same. They hauled him up slowly and he stood on his feet as Zoë placed his arm around her neck.
"Slowly" she said sternly to Horatio.
They got Horatio into the hummer as Frank opened the back door.
"Ryan, you drive, I'll sit back here." She said as she threw her bag in, they helped Horatio in and sat him behind the passenger front seat. Ryan closed the door as Zoë stood in front of Horatio and gently put his head back against the headrest. Ryan jumped in and they drove off as Zoë stabilised herself by holding on to the seat by Horatio's shoulder. Once the hummer was steady she let go and listened to his chest again.
"How are you feeling?" She asked him, as she looked him in the eye.
"Marvellous" he said looking down at her raising his eyebrows.
"Horatio…" she said as she leant over and pulled a pen torch out of the bag when the hummer jerked. Horatio instantly grabbed a hold of Zoë's waist to stop her from falling.
"Thank you Horatio" she said as she leant back over to him and he dropped his hands from her waist as she shone the torch in his eyes.
"Are you sore anywhere else, other than your hand?" She asked.
"No" he answered softly, looking up at her tenderly.
"You are, because there would have been an exit point too." She said raising an eyebrow.
"My left leg" he said as he exhaled.
"How am I going to treat you if you don't tell me the truth?" She said as she sat down next to him and pulled his trouser leg up, she cleaned the small wound and placed a burns bandage over it, it was just a small exit wound through the calf.
"Ryan, radio the hospital." She said as looking back over at him and he gave her a nod.
She stood in front of him again and placed both of her hands either side of his rib cage and gently felt around.
"Just checking for broken ribs" she said glancing up at him and then looked back down at his chest.
She pressed on a tender area and he hissed with pain as his face contorted slightly.
"Sorry Horatio" she said looking up at him.
"Don't worry, just feels like I've been punched in the chest…" He said looking up at her, his skin tingling under her touch.
"Yeah, that was me. I'm sorry." She said with a small shy smile.
"You punched me?" He asked looking at her confused.
"Not quite, you had no heartbeat." She said looking at him.
She placed her hand on his shoulder and leant on him a little as she looked back round to Ryan and out of the front window.
"How long?" She asked.
"Not too long, another 6 minutes?" Ryan said glancing back at her.
She looked back round to Horatio after she heard him slowly exhale. His head began to fall to the side as his eyes began to roll up into his head. He had no colour in his face at all.
"Horatio! Stay with me handsome!" She said as she placed both of her hands either side of his face, gently pulling his head up straight again.
"Don't make me put another tube down your throat!" She said as she opened his eyes and checked his pupils, which were still reacting. 10 seconds later she forcefully rubbed his sternum and she heard a low quiet moan leave his throat.
"Good, stay with me." She said looking at him with her hands either side of his face.
Ryan radioed the hospital and Horatio began to come around and looked at Zoë.
"Focus on me handsome" she said as she lightly rubbed his temple.
She let go of his head with one hand and then checked his eyes with the torch.
There was another jerk in the hummer as they hit a pot hole and it threw Zoë closer to Horatio, but she stopped herself from falling before she did.
"Zoë…" Horatio called quietly and breathlessly as he began to come around more.
"Yes handsome?" She said as she looked down at him. 'Handsome?' He thought to himself.
Ryan started to feel a little jealous that she was calling him handsome and he was still stuck with pretty boy, but let it pass as he knew that they were together and it was probably what she called him when they were at home.
She leant in closer to him "what's wrong honey?" She asked him softly.
"Mmm" he moaned as he began to close his eyes again. She had no idea what he was thinking or what he was trying to say.
"Stay with me" she said as she placed her hand back on the other side of his head.
"Did you bite your tongue?" She asked as he opened his eyes. She opened his mouth and checked but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
She exhaled, looking at him tenderly as she brushed his cheek with her thumb.
"Nearly there" Ryan called from the front as he pulled off the motorway.
"Do you hurt anywhere honey?" She asked him softly, looking into his soft blue eyes.
"No" he said softly as he shook his head.
Zoë sat down beside him, close and looked out of the front window. Horatio looked over at her and took a hold of her hand in her lap. She gripped his back and brought her other hand to meet his as she gently stroked the back of his hand as she looked over to him with a small smile.
"Are you okay?" She asked softly, giving him a very caring look, still not seeing the love in his eyes that was pouring out. Even Ryan saw it. He wasn't able to hide his affection any longer and he squeezed her hand. She saw the affection in his eyes but put it down to the incident and that he wasn't thinking clearly.
"Are you okay?" He asked back, looking at her tenderly. She smiled and exhaled a small laugh as she looked down at her feet. She looked back up at him and gave him a nod with a brilliant smile and suddenly he felt a lot better.
They pulled up outside the hospital where a team were waiting. Zoë climbed over Horatio and opened the door and helped him out and then sat him in the wheelchair they had ready for him.
Ryan pulled off to park the hummer while Zoë walked in with Nathan, updating him.
"Through to majors" Nathan ordered as Zoë walked through with them.
"I want an ECG, FBC's and U&E's" Nathan ordered as Zoë stepped back and looked over at the wall as nurses came and took bloods and an ECG, she kept herself calm as she just focused on the wall.
While the nurses tended to Horatio, Nathan handed her his shirt and jacket and made sure she was okay. He placed his hand on her lower back and stepped up close to her. He whispered something in her ear as Horatio glanced over at them, seeing Zoë closed off and tense. He couldn't take his eyes off them, it looked like Nathan was nuzzling her ear, but the then saw her take a deep breath and relax and Horatio's fears were stemmed as he realised Nathan was only keeping her calm, or so he'd like to think.
The nurses left and Nathan said he'd be back. Zoë looked over at Horatio and walked over to him.
"How are you feeling?" She asked looking at him then a nurse walked in and she glanced over and instantly looked back round to Horatio as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clenching her fists as she dropped her head into his jacket that she had under her left arm, inhaling his scent. Horatio took a hold of her right hand and she gripped his as she focused on her breathing. She was tensed up as her jaw tensed to. Horatio stroked the back of her hand to try and comfort her as the nurse put him on oxygen. Nathan walked back in and gestures for the nurse to go out.
"Sorry Zoë" he said softly, but she didn't even hear him she was too focused on her breathing and keeping herself relatively calm.
Horatio squeezed her hand and she looked up at him, realising the nurse had just gone and Nathan was standing there. Nathan quickly placed his hand on her lower back and she let out a long steady breath and looked over at Horatio who gave her a nod and a smile.
Nathan checked him over and re-dressed the wounds, the atmosphere was completely different to that of the wards, they could hear other patients, the doctors and nurses. The wards were so much better. They could hear other patients moaning and privacy was a lot less respected. They could hear conversations between other patients and their doctors as only curtains parted the cubicles. Ryan walks through into the cubical with them as Nathan pulled the 12 lead ECG off him and placed him on the 3 lead one.
"We're going to keep you in for an hour or two, just to keep you under observation. You are looking good, probably because Zoë acted quickly and professionally, you're one very lucky man. I'm just awaiting your blood results, but they're probably going to be normal anyway." Nathan said with a smile, writing things down in his notes.
"Thank you Nathan." Horatio said with a small smile.
"Thank you Nathan" Zoë said with a wide smile. Ryan gave him a nod and Nathan left to tend to another patient. Zoë handed Horatio his shirt and jacket.
"Don't you ever do that to me again." She said sternly but with a small smile, letting him know that it was okay.
"I will try my best not too, believe me, I don't like it as much as you don't." He said looking over at her as he put his shirt back on and did it up as much as he could.
He could see that she was worried sick.
"I'm really sorry" Horatio apologised.
"It wasn't your fault honey." She said with a smile.
"Well done Ryan, I know I'm not the easiest person to be around when something like that happens… I think I better apologise to Frank, I'm certain he's never seen me like that before." She said with a smile. Ryan gave her a smile, remembering her shout at Frank.
"Don't worry." He said as he placed his hand on her lower back.
"How are you feeling H?" He asked as he stepped over to him as Zoë stepped back and took a deep breath as it all began to sink in. Ryan dropped his hand from her back as she stepped back again.
"Good" he said looking over at Ryan. He looked down at his chest and rubbed it a little.
"That may hurt for a while yet, chest compressions aren't nice for the both of us." She said as she rubbed her left wrist, feeling it pulsate with pain.
"You should get that checked out." Ryan said looking over at her.
"Nah, it's fine" she said with a small smile trying to brush her emotions away as it sunk in. 'I could have lost him.' She thought to herself.
She looked tenderly at Horatio and she then turned and ran a hand through her hair, confused by her feelings and thoughts as she took a deep breath.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Horatio asked softly and she turned around and swallowed.
"Yes, thank God you're okay; I thought we'd lost you." She said looking over at him tenderly, fighting the lump in her throat. 'I thought I'd lost you.' She said in her head. They both saw the hurt in her eyes.
"I'm thanking you that I'm okay." Horatio said softly.
"Please, don't Horatio." She said as she fought with the lump once more and took another deep breath as she pushed the tears back.
"I'm sorry sweetheart." Horatio said softly.
"You don't need to apologise, it's just sinking in, that's all." She said with a small slightly nervous smile.
"Come here." Horatio said softly. She walked over to him and he pulled her in for a hug, knowing that she needed it. He buried his hand in her hair as he pulled her closer and felt her breath down the back of his neck.
"Are you two…" Ryan mouthed silently as he pointed to the both of them, asking if they were back together.
"No" Horatio mouthed quickly, telling him to shut up politely. Zoë pulled from the hug and gave him a better smile.
"Sit down, you've had a hard day too." Horatio said as he shifted his legs in order for her to sit on the bed. She gave him a smile and sat down. They chatted casually and about 30 minutes later Nathan came back in.
"Your bloods are all fine, everything's normal. You can go soon, just want to keep an eye on you still." Nathan said as they all nodded at him.
"Back to formal shoes now?" She said with a small smile, trying to bring her mood up and a wide smile appeared across Nathan's face.
"Yes, well I don't think red would go too well with this suit, do you, queen of the clothes?" Nathan asked with a smile. Zoë giggled a little as she looked up at him, neither of them saw Horatio or Ryan becoming slightly jealous.
"I think you should wear them anyway." She grinned.
'He's seen her walk-in wardrobe? How does he know she has lots of clothes? Has he been back to hers?!' Horatio thought to himself and observed how relaxed she was for the distance he was standing to her.
'I know she cares about both Ryan and I, but surely she can't be having feelings towards Nathan? She can't. But look how close he's standing and she's not even bothered!' Horatio thought to himself. They all looked over to the heart monitor attached to Horatio as the beeping picked up.
"Are you okay honey?" Zoë questioned as she placed her hand on his knee. Horatio swallowed and nodded. 'I'm confused, does she like him? She never had feelings for him before she was in here. She's touching me, not him.' Horatio thought as he looked into her eyes. 'What's he thinking?' Zoë thought to herself, trying to judge his body language and eyes. Nathan walked over to the bed and pulled his stethoscope out and looked at Horatio.
"I'm just going to listen to your chest, okay?" He said as he looked at Horatio.
"No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something to do with work, that's all." Horatio said, trying to subtly push Nathan away.
"Are you sure? You're not doing a 'Zoë' on me and trying to deter me from a real problem, are you?" He questioned, glancing back at Zoë with a boyish smile and a wink. Zoë gave him a small shy smile, completely unaware of Nathan's obvious signals. He realised he wasn't getting through to her and quickly brushed her arm, wanting to touch her. Horatio's heart rate only increased as annoyance began to take over. 'He needs to back off her right now.' Horatio thought to himself. Nathan looked back to Horatio and it clicked. 'He's getting protective of Zoë, that's the problem.' Nathan thought to himself. Nathan stepped back from Zoë as Horatio couldn't help but glare at him. Zoë looked to Horatio and saw him glaring at Nathan but she couldn't work out why. Ryan shifted on his feet a little, feeling the atmosphere tense.
'He can't dictate her actions or what she wants. He can't stop me from seeing her if she has feelings for me too, I just won't treat her anymore, I won't have anything to do with her medically if that means I can potentially have a relationship with her. What is wrong with me? I didn't even feel like this this morning, now she's here and not my patient, I want something with her. It would be easier if she were my patient, I wouldn't have feelings for her then.' Nathan thought as he hardened his look at Horatio.
"Er, is there something I'm not getting?" Zoë asked, confused.
"I think Nathan has another patient to see." Horatio said, softening his facial expression as he broke the glare with Nathan and looked round to her smoothly.
"You're right, I'll be back later." Nathan said with his facial expression softening. 'She's completely oblivious to signs of affection. How is she so naïve to all of this? Then again, it's clear that both Horatio and Ryan have feelings for her, I wonder if she's picked up on that?' Nathan thought to himself. He backed off and walked out as he gave Zoë a small smile.
Zoë looked back round to Horatio and tilted her head, trying to work out what that was about.
"Horatio, you know he's only helping you, don't you?" She questioned as she hopped off the bed and turned to him.
"I know that sweetheart." Horatio said smoothly.
"Then… what was that about?" She asked innocently.
"It's a long story sweetheart." Horatio said softly as his eyes connected with hers. She looked at him, trying to work him out. 'For someone so smart and has the ability to see right through people, it's extraordinary that she doesn't see attraction. I have to say, it's something I love and hate about her. Love because other men don't stand a chance, hate because she doesn't see my attraction.' Horatio thought to himself.
"I'll be right back, I need a glass of water." She said softly as she backed off from the bed.
'I'm pushing her away, I was too protective.' Horatio thought to himself. Horatio gave her a nod and then looked to Ryan.
"I'll come with you." Ryan said softly.
"No, it's okay honey." She said softly and then walked out. Ryan looked to Horatio, they both knew she wasn't getting some water.
"Sorry H." Ryan said as he shifted on his feet a little.
Horatio ran a hand through his hair. 'What have I done? I've pushed her into Nathan's arms.' Horatio thought to himself.
Zoë had found Nathan and he took her to the side.
"I'm sorry about that Nathan, he's grateful for your help, really. He's just had a very rough day." Zoë swallowed.
"Don't worry about it Zoë." He said softly.
"Well I do, Nathan, he can be just as stubborn as me but I know he appreciates your help." Zoë said softly and Nathan gave him a nod. 'She really has no-idea. Is this why he was getting protective? Or is it because he likes her?' Nathan thought to himself.
"What are you thinking about?" She questioned, seeing the intense look of concentration.
"Sorry Zo, just mulling over a difficult case." Nathan replied with his boyish charm as he gave her a smile.
"Okay sweetie, I'll see you later." Zoë said softly and Nathan nodded. He quickly placed his hand on her arm and brushed it.
"I'll see you later." He said as he quickly turned and walked away. Zoë walked back into the cubical.
"Are you feeling okay honey?" Zoë questioned as she stepped up to the head of the bed beside Horatio and he nodded at her.
"Are you sure?" She asked as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He swallowed.
"I'm sure, thank you Zoë." He said softly, happy she was touching him. 'She didn't touch Nathan at all.' Horatio thought, wanting to believe that nothing was going on between them.
"So, you've met with Nathan outside of the hospital?" Horatio asked, before he could engage the brain-to-mouth filter. Zoë's mouth dropped open, a little bit speechless. 'Why does he care?' She thought to herself.
"Yes, well... he saw me out when I was shopping and we went to grab a coffee." Zoë said softly as she studied his face, trying to see what he was thinking but he was closing himself off.
"Why?" Zoë questioned which caught Horatio completely off guard.
'What the hell do I say?' He thought and then looked over to Ryan. His eyes were then drawn to a nurse as she walked into the cubicle and Zoë glanced around to see what he was looking at.
They saw her visibly tense and take a sharp breath. Horatio reached over for her hand and pulled her closer to him.
"It's okay sweetheart." Horatio said softly into her ear as he pulled her down as he threaded his fingers in her soft hair. Ryan quickly ushered the nurse away, telling her to talk to Nathan if she had a problem with it. He felt her hand on the back of his neck and her other on his bicep.
Ryan walked over to them and placed his hand on her back. She immediately tensed up more and gripped Horatio harder.
"Sweetheart, that's Ryan. It's okay she's gone." Horatio whispered in her ear. Zoë took a deep breath and slowly loosened her grip on Horatio.
"I'm sorry." She said as she lifted her head when he pulled his hand out of her hair.
"Sorry Ryan." She said glancing round to him. He realised he was in the wrong.
"I'm sorry Zoë, no need to worry." He said softly.
"Thank you." Zoë said quietly to Horatio and he gave her a reassuring smile. He sat her on the bed again and they chatted for another 45 minutes until Nathan came back in and discharged Horatio.
"Call if you need anything and no work for today" he said with a smile, putting everything behind him and keeping his distance with Zoe. They got outside and Zoë got Horatio in to the passenger seat while she got into the drivers' seat and Ryan in the back.
She drove to the lab and let Ryan out and then began to drive over to Horatio's.
At the lab, Ryan and Eric drove back over to the scene to process and pick up Ryan's hummer with Walter in the back. They processed, making sure to stay away from the light switch.
Meanwhile, Zoë pulled up on Horatio's drive and got him inside.
"You'll want to take a shower to get those pads off, it's a lot easier." She said as they walked through to his kitchen.
"Thanks for the tip." He said with a smile as he looked round to her.
"I need to get back to work, are you going to be okay?" She asked.
"Yes, I'll be fine." He said with a smile.
"Okay, get some rest and I'm going to pop round later to make sure everything's okay. Give me a call if you need anything." She said with a smile.
"Sure thing, thank you Zoë" he said with a smile.
"No problem honey." She said with a smile as she gently rubbed his arm and then proceeded to leave.
Horatio showed her out and she drove off back to work, cooling herself down after the already eventful and stressful day. She got to the lab and phoned Ryan to see how they were getting on.
"Hey, how are you lot getting on?"
"Good, I'm just about to head back now." He said as he put his kit in his hummer.
"Okay, I'll see you here." She said as they hung up. She went into the break room and got herself a coffee as she waited for Ryan to bring the evidence back.
He arrived and they started to process, then both Walter and Eric got back with more evidence.
They found the main suspect and brought him in.
"Hey Wolfe, look who's worked with this guy before" Eric said as he turned the screen to look at him. Zoë also walked over and stood behind Eric closely.
"Who's Ron Saris?" She asked and they both looked over at her.
"A piece of work" Eric said bluntly.
"Do you think he's tied in with the case?" Ryan asked.
"We've not found anything linking him to the case, yet." Zoë said looking at Ryan as she stood between Ryan and Eric.
"Doesn't mean he doesn't have anything to do with it" Eric said looking up at Ryan.
"Yeah…" Ryan said thinking.
"We have nothing to go on to bring him in." Zoë said softly.
"Mmm" Ryan said looking over at her.
"Let's go and talk to our friend." Ryan said as he walked out.
"You or me?" She asked Eric with a smile.
"You're welcome to him." Eric said as he gave her a smile.
"Thanks." She said sarcastically with a smile as she then turned and left also. She went into the interrogation room with Ryan and they interrogated the guy, he confessed to killing the woman after the amount of evidence piled up against him.
"It was an accident" The man claimed.
"So… 3 bullets accidently fired from the gun you happened to hold?" Zoë asked leaning on the table.
"The first one was an accident." He claimed.
"Right…" Ryan said looking at him.
"Why?" Zoë asked.
"Because she was asking for a stupid amount of money, just for sex and wouldn't leave until she got the money." The man said as he sat back.
"So she was a prostitute? That doesn't sound like an accident to me either…" Ryan said and the man looked up at him.
"That's two crimes right there, you're doing well for yourself." Zoë said looking at him as she stood back up, crossing her arms.
The man was speechless.
"Tell me, did Ron Saris have anything to do with this?" Ryan asked, looking at him intensely.
"No, I've not spoken to him in years, I thought he was dead." The man said, looking up at them.
"What about the faulty light switch in the bathroom?" Zoë asked.
"I was going to replace it." The man said looking up at her.
"And you're unlocked front door?" Ryan asked.
"I must have forgotten to lock it." He claimed.
"You don't leave a house like that unlocked." Zoë said looking at him.
"You see, it looks to us like you had this planned especially as there was a signal jammer hidden in the house." Ryan said looking at him.
"I didn't." He simply said.
"Why, was anyone hurt? Did anyone die?" The man asked curiously.
"No." Zoë said not giving him the satisfaction that he clearly wanted.
"Well that's good then." He said looking up at Zoë.
"Where's your lieutenant?" The man asked looking around.
"He's busy with other suspects right now." Ryan said looking at him.
"Really? I didn't see him as I walked through." He said looking up at Zoë. Zoë clasped her hands behind her back and made a fist with one hand.
"Book him." Ryan said to the officer who got up and took the man away.
"Are you okay?" Ryan asked softly, moving in close to her.
"Yeah, people like him really pull on my strings." She said as she looked back at him.
"Coffee?" He asked.
"Perfect." She said as they walked out.
They walked into the break room and Ryan made them a coffee while Zoë leaned against the counter, they both spoke casually.
"Why are there people like him out there?" Zoë asked getting annoyed. "I mean, who sets up something like that for the purpose of hurting another human being?" She said looking over at him, knowing that she was losing it herself. 'What a day! It's hard enough controlling my emotions with it being the end of my period, then Horatio practically dies in front of me and then this guy laughs about it!' She thought to herself. Ryan could see her stressed, and guessed that it was that time of the month for her because she had been tense and stressed for the past few days.
"Take a breath." Ryan said as he poured the water.
"I don't want to take a breath; I want these bastards off the face of the Earth!" Zoë said, quickly escalating from annoyance to anger and upset.
'Oh Lord' Ryan thought to himself, trying to work out the best way to handle the situation.
She saw him getting slightly uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry sweetie, it's the wrong time for this all to come about and that's all." She said as she leant back against the counter and raised her hands to her face.
"Too much information" Ryan said with a cheeky grin, seeing his advantage to get her in a better mood.
"Hey, there was no information in there at all…" Zoë said looking over at him, with a smile.
Ryan looked up at her with raised eyebrows.
"Well, it just confirmed my thoughts." Ryan said cheekily again.
Zoë exhaled a laugh. "Is it really that obvious? I thought I was doing a good job of hiding it this month…" Zoë said with a smile.
"Hmm… it's been better." Ryan said looking at her, waiting to get a playful slap or something.
"Good God, really?" She asked looking at him. 'I swear I had a better lid on my emotions before I was in hospital…' She thought to herself.
"Mmm" Ryan said with a smile, nodding. "Don't worry, no-one's noticed, I just know you too well." Ryan said softly.
"Naww, you're like one of my old gay best-friends." She said with a cheeky smile.
"Excuse me?" Ryan said with a smile and raised eyebrows whilst Zoë sniggered.
"I said like…" She said with a cheeky smile. "Remove the gay part and there you are." She said with a smile as she playfully patted his cheek and then picked up the coffee. She gave him a nod as she walked over to sit down.
"Get your skinny ass here and just sit down." She said with a smile as she looked over at him.
"The insults don't stop, do they?" Ryan asked as he walked over.
"How is saying that you have a skinny ass an insult? I could call you a fat ass, but that wouldn't be true and that would be an insult." She said with a smile as he sat down next to her. "I like skinny asses." She said with a smile, looking down at her coffee.
"Oh you do?" Ryan asked looking over at her cheekily. She looked at him and smiled with a small chuckle.
She put her head back and relaxed on the sofa.
"I cannot wait to get home and into bed." She said with a small smile as she held the coffee in her lap.
"You and me both" Ryan said with a smile.
She looked over at him. "Do you think Horatio's okay?" She asked softly, clearly worried about him.
"Yes, I'm sure he's fine." Ryan said softly.
"Really?" She asked, lifting her head up again as she began to replay earlier in her mind.
"Yes." Ryan said reassuring her.
"I thought we'd lost him, what would we do without Horatio?" Zoë said as she looked past Ryan at the window. 'Seriously, I don't know what we'd do without him.' She thought to herself.
Ryan saw the hurt in her eyes again and placed his hand on the side of her face and moved in closer, looking into her eyes.
"But we didn't and he's okay." Ryan said soothingly, stroking her cheek delicately.
She raised her hand and placed it over his as she looked down and gave him a nod, still thinking about it.
"He's okay, you did a fantastic job." Ryan said and she looked back up to him.
"Thank you for being there Ryan." She said with a small smile, looking back into his eyes.
They both held each other's gaze. 'Oh God no, I didn't mean to be so close. She's not going to kiss me, for once I don't want her to. I can't put Horatio through anymore. But I can't stop her from having feelings for me… I'd have to talk with Horatio, how does this work? She's so beautiful, I'd love it if she was mine.' Ryan thought to himself.