Story Title: Revenge is a dish best served Russian
Season(s): Mainly set in season 7, timeline may vary.
Pairing(s): Ryan/Natalia, Eric/Calleigh, (other pairings may occur...I'm making the story up as I go along)

Disclaimer: If I did own C.S.I Miami do you think I would be writing this story instead of snuggling in Jonathan Togo's strong, muscled arms? *sigh* Stupid O.S.F.D (Obsessive Sexy Fellas Disorder) I only own the OCs...

Author's Note: Thank you so much Emily Blake, you practicly wrote this chapter with your completly helpful advice!

And wow! WOW! 250 reveiws! I'm touched by the support guys and gals! Thanks to all the reveiwers, aleters and favoriters and even to the plain ol' readers for taking the time to read my work!

Now on with the story...

Previously on C.S.I Miami:

Looking back up, the brunette couldn't believe she was about to ask Calleigh Duquesne for love-life help.

But she was.

At first, Calleigh was silent, thinking she had misheard Natalia. Then, as she watched the nervous frown grown wider, the Ballistics expert overcame her surprise and thought of a response.

"I'm sorry, did I hear you right?"

Natalia looked down, embarrassment causing her throat to dry, her timid answer barely audible.

"It's just...I could really use an outside point of view of this mess."

Calleigh nodded slowly, sensing the emotional distress Natalia was in, her caring nature automatically decided to help.

"Okay, so you're saying you really care about Ryan?" Natalia looked up sharply, caught off guard by the seriousness of Calleigh's voice. "Yes, I do..." emerald eyes studied her sudden answer, a look Calleigh normally used for interrogation.

And like many before her, Natalia crumbled beneath the stare.

"I'm not sure."

Thinking for a moment, Calleigh thought logically, putting herself in the confused brunette's shoes. She wondered, what made her realise her feelings for Eric, and seconds later she had her answer.

It was when he was shot...when I almost lost him.

An age old saying popped into her head, 'you don't know what you got, till it's gone' That was the same with her and Eric, she had only considered him as a close friend, a colleague she could trust her life with, but when his was almost taken away, Calleigh realised she couldn't live hers without him.

"Did you feel anything before...?"

Natalia noticed the slight hesitation, knowing her friend was unsure on how to address her and Ryan's kidnapping. At first, the D.N.A tech was slightly shaky with the topic, but now, with life starting to return to normal, she just thought of it as a part of her past.

Though her history was scary, her un-certain future was absolutely terrifying.

"I...I don't know, I think I did! I mean-"

"It's okay, take a breath."

Natalia closed her eyes and followed the blonde's command, slowly working her lungs, filling them to full capacity before releasing a steady breath. She smiled slightly, "Thanks."

Calleigh smiled back, then decided it was her turn to share some wisdom with the younger woman.

"Natalia, when someone's in such a traumatic experience such as kidnapping-" Calleigh was cut off, the D.N.A tech looked annoyed, her expression showing she had come to the same conclusion.

"Cal, I know-"

Calleigh raised her hands lightly, trying to ease some of the tension building. "All I'm saying is... you should be sure your feelings aren't just a side effect of being in such a traumatic experience with him."

Natalia was stunned by the Southern CSI's wise words. They had struck home; a thousand of her own nagging thoughts were rounded up into such a simple sentence.

As she struggled to think of a response, Natalia guessed the beginning was a good place to start. Taking a moment to tear down her own walls she built out of fear, the D.N.A tech swallowed slowly.

"Cal...Did I ever...talk to you about Nick?"

Calleigh was stunned for a moment, curious why Natalia brought up a subject the Southern knew was a difficult one for her. Silence filled the room for a moment before the brunette spoke again.

"He made me feel great; before we married he would buy the most beautiful dresses or jewels, and then say they were nothing compared to me. Even when it started getting...bad...he still made me feel special. I lied to myself, told myself I still loved him cause he made me feel that way but eventually I realised...it was all fake."

Calleigh remained quiet; watching as Natalia's eyes glazed over as they watched past memories the blonde could not. The Ballistics expert was still curious of why her friend brought her abusive ex-husband up but allowed her to continue.

"But with Ryan...after the mole incident he made me feel terrible, that's for sure. The constant arguments and tension between us almost made me hate him."

A small smile twitched across Natalia's lips, confusing Calleigh further, she still didn't see the point behind the sudden trip through her friend's past.

"Then...when Nick showed up...and when Anya went missing...he was the perfect gentleman."

Natalia looked up directly at the blonde; a sudden seriousness seemed to form within the younger woman's features. "Although Ryan doesn't make me feel great or special all the time...At least I know whatever I feel towards him, whether it's anger or hate or...love...it's real."

Calleigh was taken aback by the emotional depth backing Natalia's words; the brunette's eyes told the experienced CSI that she spoke the truth.

Natalia smiled at the Ballistics expert's slightly shocked expression, realising she may have sounded like a bad love song.

But its how I really feel.

Shrugging her thoughts away, the DNA tech thought of a constructive way to fill the now growing awkward silence.

"So what do you think of Ryan?"

Calleigh rebounded from her shock with new puzzlement. "Well, you know him better than I do." Natalia blushed slightly, glancing to the floor. The break in eye-contact was relieving but she forced herself to look back up.

"But you know him longer."

Nodding slightly, the Southern CSI thought over the truthful statement, then decided a truthful answer would be best.

"Well...at first I didn't like Ryan to be honest."

Natalia's eyes widened slightly, eyebrows rising in surprise. She had always thought of the blonde Ballistics expert to be foreverly forgiving, seeing as she was the first to take her in after the mole incident.

"His first case almost put my father in prison...and he was also Tim's replacement."

Thinking back, Natalia remembered the name Tim Speedle. Eric had mentioned him once as a friend who was shot in the line of duty, the way he and Calleigh talked about him showed how close the trio were.

"But that changed right?"

Calleigh smiled, "Yeah, after a while I learned to think of Ryan as a friend, though he was a bit of a pain when he first started out."

Both women smiled, the seriousness of their previous conversation was fading rapidly, a humorous mood setting in as the deep connection they had just gained led the way for lighter topics.

Phew! Long enough chapter! I had to cut it there but there's a lil more girl talk next chapter.

Then a RaiN scene...or is it?

Find out next time!

Mel out ;)