Groaning slightly at the early Spring AM training, it takes all of Ryan's being to drag himself out of bed and to the training grounds, where he is met by Delko and Calleigh and a few of the other crime scene techs from the swing shift. After unloading the van of their gear for the day, Ryan stands to look at his two coworkers. "Ok, so what is this, exactly?"

"Well," Calleigh starts with a smile to Eric and a few of the other MDPD persons, "we run through various scenarios." Delko cuts her off and looks towards the training building "While we don't typically go to active scenes, we prepare for them. Hostage situations, bombings, tactical entry. Never know what we may stumble across when we are in the field."

Nodding to their explanations, Ryan looks at the pair curiously. "Ok, so who are our suspects?"

"That would be me." The cheery tone of an all too familiar female voice, fills the air. Hazel eyes turn to see smiling blues, as Christas hops out of a MDPD car along with three other people. Dressed in form fitting blue jeans, a pair of tennis shoes and a loose t-shirt, Ryan cant help but smile knowing that the innocent looking female is a fiery force of nature. "What," the teasing question lingers in the air as she greets Delko with a smirk, "you didn't think I would volunteer again, Eric? I owe you one for last time."

Unable to suppress the chuckle, Eric licks his bottom lip and nods in understanding. "I'll be looking forward to it Chris."

"Mmhmmm," Christa looks over at Ryan with a wink and walks with the group into the training building. "It's going to be fun boys!"

~*~ During Training ~*~

Systematically moving room to room, Ryan plays second to Calleigh as they begin their building clearing. Calleigh enters the room first, as Ryan instantly follows behind, taking the hard corner, searching and clearing as he hears Calleigh call out "clear." Following her lead, they advance down the hall, breaking off and regrouping as they shut and lock each door behind them. Suddenly, a sharp scream fills the training facility, echoing through the rooms. Recognizing the blood curdling scream, the training exercise slips briefly from Ryan's mind as he advances down the slender hall in the direction, he thinks the sound is coming from. Stopping as he comes to the end of the branched hall, he has three options to go-and only one in the right direction. Hearing the soft sound of sobs Ryan carefully approaches the room to the right. Slowly and quietly opening the door, he sees a bound Christa, crying in a chair. Clicking the mic on his radio, "Got a hostage," Ryan clears the room and finds it empty, physically relaxes and turns his back to Christa.

The next thing that Ryan knows, he has a 'gun' in the center of his back as Christa says, "Bang. Cop down. Wolfe died." Ryan turns to give Christa an "i can't believe you look' as she tapes a bright sticky with a sad face on his chest. "Sorry Ryan. Never trust the pretty face to be the honest one. Look for the hostage, not the damsel in distress."

Once the drill concludes, Ryan is shocked to see that he is the only one who died in the exercise. Eric walks up, dropping his hand to Ryan's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up Ryan. Everyone falls for it once or twice."

Christa looks over at Eric with sheer disbelief. "In your case, I think it was what-5 times Eric?" Fake laughing at her retort, Eric gives Christa a look as she smirks at him and gives Ryan a small bump with her shoulder as if to say "i got you."

The training lasts several more hours and Ryan thankfully doesn't suffer any more deaths in the exercise, though he comes close. As they make the last clear out of the house, Ryan can feel eyes on him, but can't find anyone, anywhere. Walking softly down the hall, he stops and stands still, listening and waiting. He sees a whisper of a shadow against a wall, not this time. Ryan quietly moving himself towards cover, he hugs the corner of a wall while dropping down to his knees, listening for movement. Seeing legs walk into his periphery, he darts his hand out, grabbing an arm, that fights back, before gaining the upper hand and roughly slamming the body on the ground and mock cuffing them. "Got a suspect in custody."

Son of a bitch. Grimacing while her face is basically one with the floor, Christa can already feel the swelling from the take down. I'll give it to him, he got a good hit in. "While i applaud your stealth skills Ryan," Christa's voice floating up from the floor, "perhaps in training, a little less hands-on, yea?" Groaning, she gets herself up into a sitting position in an attempt to get herself standing. "Little help here Wolfe."

Grabbing her wrists, he helps roll her forward to get her feet under her and standing before removing her handcuffs, "just calling it even Christa." He retorts back until she turns to face him, and he sees the damage he caused. "Oh my god, your face. Christa, I am so sorry."

Waiving off his apology, she starts down the hall towards the entrance, "don't apologize. It's how you stay alive. But I'm going to go find ice, I hope."

Darting after her, "Christa, I didn't mean-Oh my god you're bleeding!" He looks for anything in his pockets to help but finds nothing as she holds her head up hand under her nose while she reaches over and yanks the radio from his belt, "I am going to need tissues. Anyone got 1st aid supplies?"

It only takes a few moments before Calleigh shows up, running up the hall until she spots the pair, taking in the scene as blood is all over Christa's hands as Ryan looks like he attacked the family dog, "What happened?"

"We got a scrapper," Christa teases, giving a wink at Ryan as she takes the supplies from Calleigh. "Thanks darlin," she offers as she wipes most of the blood from her face and hands, holding the newest tissue to catch any more that may still be lingering. "Since this was the last run, Im gonna go sit the rest of the run out." Making her way outside, she goes through a few more tissues before it seems that her nose had decided it was finished.

Waiting for the scenario to conclude, she watches as more of the team filters out, most having survived the last run. Delko is one of the last to leave to the room, spotting Christa, the concern etched on his face. "What happened?"

"Wolfe got a good shot in. Tackled me in the hall." Brown eyes dart to the younger CSI, anger reflecting in them at the harming of his friend, before he feels her push him a little to get his attention. "It was an accident Eric, relax. Poor guy feels awful enough as it is."

His frustration at her nonchalant attitude is palpable, "Chris he busted your face,"

"Yes. My face. And I'm saying it's not a big deal and to let it go." Giving Delko a pointed look as she stalks off, she joins the crowd as they go over that last run. Ryan looks down to the ground as his tackle is called out by the leader, giving him props for his quick thinking and his fast reaction time. "Hey Wolfe," Christa yells out as they start to load up to leave, "Knowing you and refusing to allow your guilt to eat at you all night, drinks at Capital Grille?"

"Who's buying?"

"Well you are of course," she laughs with a smile and a nudge to his shoulder, trying to get him to relax and hopefully letting go of his worry of having hit her. "2 beers and a basket of fries. What do you say?" Smiling at her ridiculous offer but grateful, he nods. "You're on."

Arriving ahead of the rest of the group, Christa finds herself at a table for 4 all by herself waiting for the others, while keeping herself entertained by watching the crowd in the restaurant, until she notices a man having spotted her solo at the table. Oh god, please help me.

"Well hello sweetheart," the man's eyes flicker along her body, before looking back up at her. "these seats taken?"

"Actually yes. My friends are coming so, full table."

"Well that's too bad," his hand drops down on to the table near hers, as she slowly pulls it back across the table to keep it away from his. "I was hoping to buy you a drink,"

"Thank you, but I'm sure that my boyfriend wouldn't appreciate that," she offers with a forced smile, "If you don't mind-"

"A boyfriend who lets his woman wander free deserves to lose her,"

Thankfully before a snarky comment could leave her mouth, Ryan's voice calling out to her is like a blessing from the heavens. "Hey handsome," smiling brightly at Ryan, hoping he picks up on the situation, "I was wondering when you were going to show up."

Eyes glancing from her to the man, her body language is definitely on the defensive. "Didn't mean to make you wait sweetheart," he offers with a warm smile, making his way to her side and acting as if he was dropping a kiss to her cheek, "I got you" he whispers ever so quietly as she relaxes in her chair. Standing back up beside her, his eyes fall to the man who is still standing there, "Who's your friend?"

"Im so sorry, I didn't catch your name." The man glares at the two before stalking off, pushing through the crowd and disappearing into the restaurant. Sighing heavily, she turns to the now sitting CSI, "thank you."

"Happen a lot?"

Christa snorts, "to women every where on a daily basis. Unfortunately, most refuse to take a hint unless another guy 'stakes a claim'' she offers with a slight eyeroll. "You came at just the right time."

Ryan offers a friendly smile as he sees Calleigh and Delko filter in, Christa waiving at the pair as the make their way to the table. Delko takes a seat on the other side of Christa, leaving the middle seat in between the two guys for Calleigh. The group sit and talk, joke and laugh about anything and everything that they can think of from work, to movies, to gossip at the office.

Several beers later, and just about as man hours later, Calleigh and Delko bid the pair farewell leaving them at the table as they head home for work tomorrow. Ryans hazel eyes, flicker over to Christa, "How's your lip?"

"I've had worse. Last time Delko talked the group into using paint ball guns. I had bruises on my butt for weeks," she offers with a short laugh remembering that training. "Delko was hiding in a closet waiting for me to walk by. It would have been worse if Speed" Christa stops as the memory of her friend hits her heart hard. Feeling the pressure in her eyes, the last thing she wants is to cry in front of Ryan. "Anyway," her voice soft and quiet, "split lip is easy."

"Ive heard stories of him," Ryan offers quietly, his gaze on her. He knows Calleigh and Delko didn't care for him yet but they were trying. The death of their friend was still so fresh, he didn't blame them. He couldn't. "Tim, I mean. Seems like he was a good guy."

"He was one of the best. If you ever needed anything, he was your guy." A vibrant smile spreads as she thinks back on memories, "One time he showed up, middle of the night to pick me up from a bad date. I mean, the worst. I didn't know that he had been on a date that night too and he left it to make sure I was safe. That's just the kind of person he was," feeling the tear escape her eyes, she tried to wipe it away quickly.

Offering her a kind smile, Ryan grabs her hand gently with a comforting squeeze, before using his other to lift his beer, pointing it towards Christa, "Well then to Tim Speedle and his amazing friendship." The pair clink their bottles before taking a drink.

...so i know its been a while. A lot has happened in life including some massive mental health issues, health issues, moving, and just not feeling like finishing these were worth it, but I have promised myself to finish these and so I shall!

A new chapter will be expected soon and i will do my best to keep them coming at least once a week until its over.

Thanks!

~V.