MIAMI PD : PRESENT

Calleigh walked past the lab and stopped. She turned. Ryan was staring at the table in front of him, motionless. Calleigh walked into the lab and before she approached him started talking.

"Ryan. Hey, Ryan."

Even with warning he was still startled by her. His head jerked up and his eyes found her. For a minute or two he didn't see her – she knew who he was seeing. It made her stop and wait, but never stopped talking.

"Ryan, can I com around the counter? Is that okay? Ryan?"

He was back suddenly. He smiled nervously. "What?"

She walked around the counter, standing close. She was the only woman he allowed to be close. Not even Natalia was allowed this close to him. And when she reached out and cupped his elbow in her hand, it was another thing only she was allowed to do – touch him. She'd walked in on him screaming at female lab techs who touched him without permission, she'd held Natalia while she cried for being yelled at when he turned and found her right behind him, and she was constantly smoothing over fights between him and other females in the lab.

But then, only she and Delko knew that most nights he had nightmares that left him screaming and begging Chrissie to stop hurting him. Many nights Calleigh had run into his room and helped him pull out of the nightmares that were threatening to hold him forever. She held his hands, helping him chase away the demon that even in death was torturing Ryan. She had earned Ryan's unwavering trust when she came home one day and gave him the number of perhaps the only male therapist in Miami that worked with rape victims.

"Don't go there, Ryan," Calleigh quietly told him.

He became teary eyed and looked at the floor. "I can't help it. It happens if I don't keep busy all the time."

She rubbed his back. "Before it happened all the time, so we're making progress."

Ryan smiled, nodding.

"Okay. I have to make a delivery. Call if you need me."

Calleigh turned, finding Natalia waiting at the door. She smiled as Calleigh passed, and then approached the counter opposite Ryan.

"Hi," Natalia said with a nervous smile. His verbal attack from two weeks ago was still fresh on her mind.

He looked up at her. "Hey."

"Did you get the trace finished for me?"

"Just finish…" He looked at the screen. "Oh. It's done. I guess I didn't notice." Ryan grabbed the monitor to turn it toward her. He stopped, staring at the screen.

"What is it?"

"Why don't you come around here? We can go over this together." Ryan looked at her.

She hesitated. Slowly she walked around and stood next to him. Ryan pulled up the test results and started talking. Natalia watched him with a smile. He stopped when he noticed.

"What?" Ryan asked.

"It's nice to be close to my friend again," she told him.

Ryan blushed, looking down.

"Go on," Natalia told him.

He continued.