Disclaimer: If I owned CSI: Miami, I'd be on a yacht getting a tan… sadly, I burn and peel like a roasted tomato, so that doesn't seem too ideal to me anyways… XD
A/N: First off, I'd like to thank floofymiko for helping me out, otherwise some cough unnecessary terminology would have been used… XD. Yeah...
Heehee… RaVe…NED… the kids…gotta love 'em… XD
And then there's creep-o Luke... or technically, Lukes...
Enjoy.
Chapter 16:
Ryan had just entered the break room and placed the lime-green stuffed animal into the arms of the sleeping girl. It's been a long day for her. He laid her clothes on the arm of the couch. Jem was busily polishing off the last touches of his sandwich and proceeding on to the chocolate bar, a large lovely creamy bar of Hershey's Milk Chocolate.
"How's your tooth?"
"Fine…" He smiled showing more brown goopy chocolate than the gap in the front of his mouth, all which completely disgusted the CSI. And that's how cavities are formed…because I highly doubt that that kid flosses. "Thlere gwas blood everygwhere! It gwas so sick!" Ryan just shook his head in disbelief. Kids…
"Your parents should be coming for you two soon, so I'm gonna go now." Did I just say, 'your parents?' That's kinda funny…I wonder what the DNA results said… Argh… what did I agree to do with Valera…
"Okie…bye Unky Wolfie! See you later!"
An unanticipated event occurred, though, as the CSI was caught off guard and thrown back by the crime lab's DNA technician. Their eyes met for a moment, Ryan observing that Valera looked a little out of it. As they met, he seemed to succumb to the same spell that had captivated her, and through their lips, their relationship escalated.
There was an applause, which abruptly ended the matter. They pulled apart instantly, refusing to meet one another's eyes again and turned, instead, to the source of the sound.
"WOO!" The eight-year old cheered. "Wow, Unky Wolfie. Auntie Valera. You guys went from G-rated to R-rated in three seconds flat! That's got to be some kinda record! I mean I think you even beat daddy and mommy…and nobody beats daddy and mommy!" It was a child's complete and absolute pride of their parents that made him add the last bit.
There was a silence between the two adults that was only filled with the laughter of the small boy. They had no idea what had passed between them only seconds earlier. All they knew was that all their pent up energy was spent and that they were ready to retire, too pooped to party.
At least, that's what Ryan was thinking. Valera had other plans, which the CSI realized as he briefly gazed at her. I can't believe I did that! He thought with a shake of his head, Where'd all that come from? I don't do spontaneity.
As they embarrassedly turned to leave, Eric and Natalia entered in their place. Jem hopped down from his seat and ran over to meet his parents. "I'm all done. Can we go home now? I wanna see a movie."
"And which movie do you want to see?" Natalia asked as she began to pack up the remaining sandwiches, which consisted of her left-overs and Eric and Ella's untouched meals.
Jem shrugged. "Let's re-watch Serendipity." He loved that movie because it was about love and chance. He didn't really understand it, but it was still one of his favorites.
Natalia smiled warmly. "Hmm…just like your daddy." I'll just assume for now that we're his parents. It makes things a lot less complicated.
Eric looked up at the comment. "And what's that supposed to mean…honey?" Natalia scrunched her nose in disgust at the pet name. Eric sauntered over to his daughter's sleeping form on the couch and sat down on the edge. Ella instantly woke up. "Oh, I'm sorry, is there someone here?" He turned to her with a look of pretend surprise and then began tickling her. A shriek of high-pitched giggles and laughter ensued.
"Daddy!" The little girl jumped off the couch. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"
"That's not enough to stop… the Tickle Monster!" He couldn't help but laugh as his daughter quickly darted away from him and hid behind her mother. Yeah…she's my daughter…I don't need a DNA test… "Oh, smart, hide behind mommy…what makes you think that I won't tickle her too." The playful glint returned to his expression and stance.
Natalia instantly went on the defensive. "Eric. You wouldn't dare." They were faintly smiling as their eyes locked. He went to tickle her, but she gasped as the action turned into a light warm kiss. Ella sighed happily. She was a hopeless romantic at heart. Jem was too, but in this moment, he was shaking his head and frowning.
"Nope, nope…sorry. Unky Wolfie and Auntie Valera definitely beat you guys in that area!" He shook his head in disappointment.
Natalia and Eric separated and coughed slightly, pretending like nothing had happened. Natalia went over to the counter to grab the plastic 'Thank You' bag. That was nothing…what we had is dead now… She chewed the side of the inside of her mouth. Or is it?
She observed the clothes on the couch and assumed that they could only be Ella's. I guess she should change before we leave.
"Here, sweetie." Natalia handed the set of clothes to the little girl. Ella scrunched up her nose in disgust.
"But Daddy's shirt so BIG and comfy!" Her parents laughed at the child's silliness.
"Come here." Natalia pulled her daughter towards her and helped her change into her previous clothes. I guess I'm kind of getting used to this. Sort of…
Ella was stuck. Her shirt had been placed over her head the wrong way. Now, her hands and head were stuck above her head in an arm hole. Jem couldn't help himself and began cracking up so hard that tears flowed from his eyes. It took all that Eric and Natalia had not to laugh themselves.
"This isn't funny!" Her voice was muffled by her shirt. Not cool…I always get stuck my shirt…it's not fair. How am I supposed to tell the difference by all these holes…arm hole…head hole…why's there gotta be a difference? She stomped her foot…which only added to the hilarity of the situation.
Once again, Natalia aided her daughter; this time the little girl's clothes successively and properly went on. The older woman handed over the used shirt to her 'colleague,' who held it at a distance and scrunched his nose. "I don't know…still smells like pee to me." Ella stuck out her tongue at her father, which only made his grin widen.
He gathered the children and together the quartet left the room. Eric didn't know what was overcoming him, but he felt kind of content. Maybe that…kiss… mended some of our…my…past actions. They wished the receptionists a good night and then took the elevator down to the parking garage.
Natalia scoffed as she looked at the vehicles around. "I guess we're taking your car."
Eric released a chuckle. "Yeah. If you don't mind…"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Well I have a Hummer and-"
"-I don't…lucky me…"
Eric unlocked the Hummer. Ella squealed and ran over while Jem climbed into the driver's seat. The little boy had always been fascinated by the size of the car.
"Can I drive?"
Eric's face crinkled along his laugh lines as he let out a laugh. Natalia joined in. "When your feet can reach the brakes… and gas pedal," he informed his son, "You can drive. Now do you mind if I drive us home?" Jem with a disheartened expression climbed into the back seat next to where his sister sat with JoJo.
Natalia frowned. "You're driving too? What, so I can't do anything?" This is the 21st century!
"What? Can't you accept it if I want to be a little courteous sometimes?"
"I don't like men who are controlling."
"Natalia, when have I ever been 'controlling'?" He sent her a bemused look. Is she thinking about her ex-husband? What did that guy do to her?
"Forget it."
"Do you want to drive?" May as well give her an option, so she doesn't feel so…uptight.
"Did you move?"
"No."
"Then, I'll drive."
"Okay, then. I'm glad that's settled." He laughed and put the food into the trunk.
As they pulled out and into the street, they noticed the purple blue shading of the setting dusky sky, but were oblivious to the red Jeep that was following them a distance away.
After his little rendezvous with the bushes, the two men returned to their car. The older man had shown his younger self the list he had made and was in the process of explaining the full plan when they noticed a Hummer exit the Miami-Dade Crime Lab. Using only the light coming from the street lamps, the two men almost instantly recognized the vehicle's occupants.
"Is that-"
"It is…" The elder man smiled spitefully. "We follow them home…figure out where they live…"
"How's that help us again?"
"Once we figure that out, we have a bit of time before daybreak to get the Jack-in-the-box and then we can send them a small 'gift'." He air-quoted the last bit, making the car swerve until he once again took control of the wheel.
"Oh right. The Jack-in-the-box." Luke laughed harshly. Since he hadn't fastened his seatbelt, he had to slightly readjust himself in his seat. It'll be just enough to give her…them…a little 'scare'. Nothing too big…don't want to ruin the 'big surprise'. Just a mini-revenge before the main event.
"Once we know where they live…then we can go buy it at the nearest open toy store...or dollar store." Luke nodded in agreement. They were driving a distance away, so much, in fact, that the Hummer in front of them was nearly a traffic light ahead.
"I think it's safe to be a little closer don't you think?"
"We're good… It's all gonna pay off in no time." She's gotta pay for making me go to jail…and he's gotta pay for sleeping with my woman.
"Do you think we can pull this off?"
The other man smiled. He remembered Larry asking him the same question many years ago. "We can pull this…we will…you know why?"
"Why?" He was actually curious with what was playing through his older version's mind. It's kinda of mind-boggling to think about it.
"Because we were meant for each other. No one else is supposed to be with her and she has to understand that. We will be together in life… and death. And when I get her back…I just need to teach her a lesson or two about loyalty." Luke nodded once again in agreement, noting the, to some extent, crazed look that appeared in the driver's eye.
"And that man is her husband? Boyfriend?" A positive response from the older man had him grinding his teeth in fury. How dare she? "We're gonna make him pay right?"
"That's the plan. You take him down. I'll take her down."
"Down?" Luke was certain of one thing. He didn't want to kill his ex-wife. He just wanted her to pay.
"Well, I want you to eliminate him. I'll deal with Natalia. When I'm finished with her, she will be groveling for forgiveness at my-our feet." He grinned satisfactorily as he ran his tongue over his teeth. To Luke, the man reminded him of a predator ready to pounce on its prey. Good plan. Good plan. Better than killing her… He laughed quietly to himself as he peered out the windshield into the lurking night at the vehicle before them.
A/N: Teehee… Thoughts? LOL… As always, Luke equals Nick.