DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the song someone like you by Van Morrison I just REALLY REALLY like it. I also do not own the Lake house but I LOVE that movie and I'm borrowing it.

Author Note: I know I should have specified this in the last chapter but it escaped my mind. Ryan is NOT with Jenny in this fiction, He is with a made up character named Hannah. The reason for that being I like him with Jenny on the show so rather then right her out I went a head and made him a girlfriend. I didn't think anyone would really give it much thought until someone reviewed and said they liked Jenny. I agree completely with them I like her as well so she is not in this fiction Hannah is. Thank You.

Lanie enjoyed dinner with Ryan and Esposito they told her stories of them at Espositos family house and on the job as well. She wactched them interact and could see the closeness and the bond that they had. Even when Ryan talked of Espositos mother and sister it was as if he were speaking of his own.

The men were just clearing the table when the doorbell rang and Esposito went to get it Lanie looked at Ryan and spoke.

"How's the case?" He gave her an odd look.

"How should I know?" She hesitated and was about to reply when Kate came into the room.

"Lanie, I came to see how you were holding up" She smiled and though more then a little shocked at Ryans reply she turned to give Kate a hug.

"I'm just fine. Really" She smiled and decided to wait to find out what was going on.

"Do you need anything?" Kate offered and Lanie smiled.

"Actually if you wouldn't mind I could use help getting out of these clothes to shower" Kate smiled.

"Of course. Esposito can you show me to the bathroom?" She turned to him and he nodded going into the bathroom and turning on the light putting some towels on the floor.

Kate wheeled Lanie into the bathroom and after shutting the door and starting water for a shower she turned to her and grinned.

"So, Hows it going?" She leaned against the sink and Lanie shook her head.

"I don't know, I thought they were going alright. I met his family today by accident but I really like them but he keeps leaving and saying he'll be somewhere but that's not where he goes"

Kate frowned and moved to help Lanie with her socks.

"What do you mean?" Lanie chewed a finger nail.

"Kate, Did he come see Ryan at work today?" She knew by the look on her friends face he hadn't.

"No, Ryan has two days off for his shoulder" Lanie looked away.

"Yeah, That's what I thought" Kate gave her friend a sympathetic look.

"Do you think he has a girlfriend he doesn't want me to know about?" Lanie asked looking at Kate and Kate thought a minute before answering.

"No, I don't" She helped Lanie with her shirt and took the the brace off.

After Lanie was in the shower Kate leaned against the sink and folded her clothes.

"Kate. How did you get so lucky?" Lanie called over the spray of water.

"Lucky? What's lucky about my life?" Kate got some towels ready on the floor.

"Castle"

"Oh him. Yeah he's something"

"So, Why don't you tell him?" Lanie asked peeking around the curtain.

"Tell him what?"

"That you're in love with him" Kate sighed.

"Oh, yeah well. I don't know I guess I'm afraid"

"Kate. He ran into a burning building to save you he must love you" Lanie shut off the water and Kate waited a second before she replied.

"Yes, He ran into a burning building for me. Esposito ran into one he know would explode...for you" Lanie opened the curtain with a smile.

Esposito and Ryan finished up the dishes and then sat down for some coffee Esposito fidgeted and Ryan grinned.

"It's killing you isn't it?"

"What?"

"Knowing she's in there right now that close and still so far out of reach"

Esposito glanced at the bathroom door then looked back at Ryan.

"No, It's when she's in bed with me that kills me now that is close"

"Why don't you offer to rub he bad leg?" Ryan gave him a mischievous smile.

"What for? So she can kick me with her good one?" Ryan shook his head and laughed.

The women came out of the the bathroom Kate pushing Lanie who looked a little better, She had red cotton pants on that showed off her curves and were loose in the ankles and a black t-shirt. Her brace was on her knee again and it was lifted but the bandages were gone from her temple and hands.

Epsposito looked at her and froze Ryan stood with a smile.

"Well, I'm going to head home I'll call you" He headed for the door giving Kate a very obvious. ' let's let them alone' look.

"Bye Lanie, I'll call you I promise" She gave her friend a warm hug before following Ryan to the door.

Lanie smiled and he stood his chair sliding and hitting the floor. The cut on her temple wasn't as bad as he thought only a sligh cut and bruise her hands however were a massacre. She put her hands on the wheels to try and move he rushed to her.

"I'll get the first aid kit and re-wrap your hands" He said pushing her so she was facing the couch.

He went and got the extra cotton and gauze that the doctor had sent home with them and her pain pills along with some water.

"Here, Take this and I'll re-wrap your hands" He told her handing her the water and pain pill.

She smiled and took the pain pill before giving him her left hand to start wrapping. Her palm was completely skinned as well as a few deep cuts dug into it.

"I'm so sorry Lanie" He took her hand as carefully as he could and she watched him.

"What for? You've been wonderful"

"I should have gotten you out of there sooner" He said shaking his hand.

She watched him rub some kind of cream onto her palm.

"It stings" She winced from lack of anything better to say.

Almost without thinking he lifted her palm and placed a soft kiss there.

"Better?" He looked up at her all she could do was nod.

He wrapped it snug but not too tight then did the same with her other hand.

"Thank you" She watched him stand and he gave her a smile.

"I'm going to grab a shower. then why don't we watch a movie?"

She nodded and he headed towards the bathroom. After making sure the front door was locked and the deadbolt was in place he went into the bathroom and Lanie rolled herself around the livingroom taking a look around.

She noticed a stack of Cd's beside a stereo system and decided to go look and rolled that way.

Esposito stepped out of the shower and took a deep breath. Part of him loved having Lanie in his house. Looked forward to having her near and yet another part of him wondered how much longer she would be with him. He couldn't take her being so close and yet out of reach completely if she would leave he could go back to the way things were. TV dinners, Lonely nights and loving her in silence from afar at work looking forward to work just because he would get to see her. He didn't know if he wanted it that way or not.

He stepped into the livingroom to see her inspecting his CDs and he hoped he didn't have anything too embarrassing in often left her Cd's at his house.

"Lanie..." She turned to him with a smile holding a CD.

"Esposito, I was admiring your music collection. I love this one" She was holding a Van Morrison CD it only had one song on it Someone like you.

"Yeah. I always liked that song" He didn't add that it made him think of her.

She smiled and put it back on the shelf.

"I'd love to be able to dance with you" She said and then wondered where it had came from he looked as surprised as she felt.

"I promise you that when you are better we'll dance to it" He said honestly and he made his way to the cabinet that held his movies.

She watched him and then made her way towards the couch

"What would you like to watch?" He asked and she shrugged.

They decided on The Lake house after Esposito found it stuffed to the back and remembered Rosie letting it there last time she stayed.

"I've never seen this movie" He told Lanie as he helped her onto the couch and she smiled.

"Me either" He settled her on the couch leg stretched out and a pillow tucked underneath he sat down at her feet as the movie began.

Later he sat watching Lanie and shaking his head. He wasn't sure who was crying harder Sandra Bullock hanging onto Keanu Reeves mailbox or Lanie sitting on his couch watching it. When the movie was over he spoke.

"I got to say I don't get it. What was so sad about that" She looked at him through eyes that were finally beginning to dry.

"Men never get love stories" He smiled and glanced at the clock.

"Are you tired it's after eleven" She nodded and he stood helping her into her wheel chair.

He pushed her into his bedroom and she let him ignoring the slight flutter in her heart as she she thought about where he was taking her. Like the last night he put her wheel chair beside the bed then lifted her onto it with ease and covered her up.

He crawled into the other side and after making sure his gun was on the table beside him switched off the light plunging the room into darkness.

She lay there listening to him breathe she wondered what he'd do if she simply rolled over and slid up against him and kissed him. Probably toss her out of bed and head for the hills. She debated a second or two then decided against it.

It was around three in the morning when Esposito heard a noise that woke him up. His door opened he tensed and slowly reached for his gun beside his bed. He was about to get up when the soft sigh beside him stopped him. Lanie, He forgot about Lanie if he went barging into the living room with his gun and got hurt nobody would be there to protect Lanie.

Slowly he turned to face his bedroom door looking over Lanie to do so. He hoped that whoever was in his house would do what they want and leave without checking the bedroom. When he heard the footsteps nearing his room he moved closer to Lanie. Whatever happened he'd protect her.

Without thinking he put and arm around her and pulled her back against him and curled himself around her gun aimed at the door over her shoulder. He waited and she rolled over burying her face against his chest and snuggling closer. He swallowed a mix of shock and terror bolting through him. There could be a psycho in his living room but the woman of his dreams was cuddling against him in his sleep.

The door knob turned he tensed. The door opened slowly a small figure.

"Rosie?" He sat up with a whisper and was careful when he moved Lanie. He rolled out of the bed putting his gun on the table and pointing at the door. Rosie went into the livingroom and he paused glancing back at Lanie who was now in the middle of the bed but sleeping soundly.

"Do you realize you could have been shot?" He was mad he shut the door and Rosie sat down on the couch.

"I know I'm sorry I forgot how gun happy you are"

"I'm not ...Never mind. What are you doing here?"

"I don't know I just got to thinking about something and I wanted to tell you maybe it's stupid"

"Hey, No you can tell me"

"Lanie told me a little about the case. About the explosion" Esposito nodded but didn't say anything.

"I was thinking about it and why did they blow up the building?" He watched but didn't quite get the angle.

"He killed the guy and dumped the body out he took the wallet making him a John Doe. As far as the killer knew it was wrapped up. why blow up the building? Isn't that overkill?"

Esposito thought then realized she was right.

"You sure you don't want to be a cop Rose?" She smiled He sat down in the chair across from her.

"So, I thought you and Lanie were just friends" She grinned wider and he cleared his throat.

"We are just friends"

"Then why was she in your bed cuddling up to you?"

"Because I...only have one bed and...I was holding her close to keep her safe"

"Yeah, Good story" She winked and he rolled his eyes.

"Does mom know you're here?" He knew that she wouldn't leave without telling their mother but it was worth asking.

"Yeah...She also knows I'm spending the night" She kind of asked the last part and he shook his head with a laugh. He didn't like her taking a cab at night but he aslo knew that she just wanted his pancakes in the morning.

"Really? Are you staying for breakfast too?" She laughed.

"Sure if you insist" He laughed to and stood kissing the top of her head.

"Okay Rosie. you know where everything is blankets and pillows" She nodded and he headed for his room.

"I see you're going back in with Lanie" She teased and he smiled when he turned and spoke.

"Yeah I am and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't pull out the couch tonight. I don't want her to know I have a couch bed or she might move into" Rosie laughed.

"You're horrible big brother"

He closed his bedroom door behind him with a soft click. the things Rosie had said still in his head. She was right it was overkill. He decided to call Beckett in the morning. He reached the bed and using the reasoning that making Lanie move from the middle of the bed was mean crawled in next to her.

Then deciding that he could use strange noises as an excuse he pulled her back against him. She snuggled into his embrace with a soft sigh and he hoped she wouldn't kill him in the morning.

Lanie smiled to herself and decided that waiting in the middle of the bed while he talked to someone in the living room paid off. Like the gentleman he was he wouldn't move her and now here she was right where she wanted to be.