Ok so sorry about the delay, I encounter a new problem- writer's block. This is actually a second version of this chapter. I knew I wanted Ryan to tell Jessica his parents are dead but I didn't know when. I actually had him tell her later on in the story, but decided the situation didn't work for me. So I changed it and moved it up to this chapter.

I'm sure he would

Ryan pulled up to the store and Jessica hopped out, grabbed the first shirt on the rack that she liked, paid, and jetted back out to Ryan's car. It was 7:05am and Horatio would be calling her soon, since Jessica was never late. She changed as he drove, and Ryan sneaked a glance at her exposed skin. He could see the scars that he had felt the night before. Along her left side was a four inch incision site. Ryan didn't think Jessica caught him looking. He was so curious, but knew Jessica wouldn't be ready to talk about it for a while, and he would wait until she wanted to talk.

They pulled up to the Miami Dade Police Department at 7:15am, just as Jessica's phone rang.

"Hello? Oh hi Daddy. No, don't worry I got a ride to work he was just late picking me up that's all. Yeah we just got here and we're headed in. Ok, I love you, too. Bye." She hung up the phone and looked at Ryan.

"My father wanted to make sure that I actually got to work today." She kind of blushed a little.

"Well, it was nice of him to check on you."

"I think it's in the code of fathers- 'Make sure your child gets to work ok after having their tires slashed.' I'm sure your father would do the same for you." Jessica looked at Ryan and noticed a pain in his eyes that she had never seen before. He held her face in his hands, leaned over to her seat, and kissed her. When he pulled away Jessica could still see the pain in his eyes.

"I'm sure he would." Ryan replied, trying to get out of his car.

"Ryan stop!" Jessica said, grabbing his arm. "Please, tell me."
"Tell you what?" Ryan asked

"You know what, I can see it in your eyes." Jessica gently said, "Please tell me."

Ryan hesitated but continued on anyways.

"My parents are dead. They died when I was six in a car accident. They were bringing home my baby sister from the hospital; she had just been born three days prior to that. A drunk driver hit them head on and the hood flew through the windshield and decapitated them. It flew right over Rachael's car seat and out the back window. They had left me with my uncle that day and wouldn't let me come along because I was sick. Rachael was luckily too young to remember what happened."

Jessica looked at Ryan in horror. He had never told him anything about his family before. Jessica felt sorrow fill her heart. "I'm so sorry Ryan."

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I would have told you sooner," he said "But….. I just…..it's so difficult to talk about."

Jessica squeezed his hand and placed her hand on his cheek and made him look her in the eyes. Ryan had tears forming in his eyes and both shame and pain were evident. She kissed him lightly.

"I know what it's like to not want to talk about the past." was all she said.