TITLE: The Gift
BY: jayceepat
RATING: FRAO - eventually
PAIRINGS: Eric/Ryan
WARNINGS: Adult content and language
SPOILERS: None
DISCLAIMER: If you don't recognize it, it's mine. Otherwise, everything belongs to Bruckheimer, CBS and Zuicker.
A/N: This is for Alligator138 as a thank you for her wonderfully, entertaining stories; my response to your Valentine's Challenge.


Lt. Horatio Caine, head of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab had a headache. He was seriously thinking about wearing his sunglasses inside. He almost chuckled out loud when he thought about overhearing one his technicians referring to them as the ‘SOJ' (Sunglasses of Justice). I say almost, because he knew if he did he would hurt himself and since he was already hurting, that seemed a little dumb. He wanted to bang his head on his desk; going on the theory that one hurt (hopefully bigger) could overcome another hurt. Just as he was seriously thinking about putting his idea in motion, there was a light knock on his door followed by its opening. He raised his head and started to yell at the impertinent idiot who dared to enter his office without his permission but stopped dead when he saw Alexx Woods walking over to him.

He couldn't help but smile a little. Alexx had that effect on almost everyone. She was born to be an Earth Mother, a facilitator and calm soothing presence at even the worst of times. She walked around the chair she had been heading for and went around behind his chair. She put her cool fingers on his temples and began to rub gently across his forehead. Her hands went back and forth, occasionally rubbing circles on his temples. When the frown lines on his forehead began to smooth out a little, she gently tipped his head forward and began to massage his neck and shoulders. For almost fifteen minutes she just worked on easing his headache; no talking, only the movements of her hands and fingers working on the knots in his neck and across the top of his shoulders. When he let out a contented sigh, she finally spoke. "Does that feel a little better, darlin'?"

"Alexx, you're hands are magic. You are wasting that healing touch on the dead." Horatio patted her hand as she gave one last rub to his neck and walked around the desk to sit in the chair in front of his desk. "Now that you've saved my life, what can I do for you? You do realize I'm willing to do anything include cover up a crime you've committed?"

Alexx gave him one of her happy smiles and said, "Nothing quite that bad Horatio. I want a favor."

"Anything, anything at all; just ask." H was feeling so much better now.

"Well, you of all people know how hectic the last three months have been. I'm pretty sure that's the reason you were about to bang your head on the desk when I walked in here."

"Tell me about it. I think every single person in the city of Miami has decided to commit a crime. I can't even blame it on a full moon or something. It's been going on, like you said, for three months now and we are all working under such a strain. Everyone is falling apart. I feel more like a den father than I do a law-enforcement official. My techs are at each other's throats, Eric and Ryan have almost gone back to their disgraceful behavior of the first few months after Ryan joined us, Boa Vista and Vallera are about to come to blows. I even heard Calleigh bite some poor intern's head off this morning. I just don't know how much more we can take. We need a break; we need a week of 8 hours of sleep in our own beds."

"Well I don't have a solution but I do have an idea for a diversion. I want to have a gift exchange for Valentine's Day. We'll draw names and have an all day picnic in the break room with everyone bringing something to eat. We can bring in one of the potted plants and decorate it with ribbons and eggs and put the gifts under it and try for just a few minutes to forget about what's going on outside this building."

Horatio frowned at the lovely woman sitting opposite him. "Do you really think that's going to do any good?"

"Well it sure couldn't hurt. Give us something to think about instead of murder, robbery, arson, drugs…well you get the picture. I will get things started. What I need from you is back-up. If you do your "I am the boss and we are going to do this and you will have fun and that's not open for negotiation" everyone will participate whether they want to or not."

Horatio thought for a minute then decided Alexx, as usual, was right; it couldn't hurt and it might just help. If the staff knew they were going to have a party with good food and a few laughs half way through this month, maybe it would lighten things up a little. He told Alexx to go to it BUT don't drag him into anything. She assured him she would take care of everything and left his office. After the door closed behind her, H just smiled to himself and thought that if Alexx Woods ruled the world, things would go a lot better.

H discovered in the next few days that while Alexx did and was handling everything, he still was being dragged into the preparations more than he thought he would be. He had to get permission from his boss to have a party in the lab and promise he would not violate any of the million and one rules and regulations. He was completely floored the next day when his boss's boss called him and told him he thought it was a brilliant move to improve morale. The crime rate for the last quarter of 2007 had risen 54% over the previous year BUT Horatio's staff had still achieved an 86% solve rate and that was the best in the nation; even surpassing the Las Vegas Lab which was currently the number two lab in the US. He further told H he knew his people were exhausted and he was proud of them for continuing to work at such a high level of perfection.

H tried to tell him it wasn't his idea at all but his chief ME Alexx Wood was responsible for the concept. The commissioner said, somewhat indulgently, that he knew he was just being modest. A team was only as good as their leader so anything they came up with was in his favor…Oh and by the way, he was providing a ham and cold, peeled shrimp and snow crab legs for the party. And not to worry, he would make sure there would be enough for everyone in the lab and the police department as well.

Horatio hung up the phone and just sat there for a moment. Damn, it was amazing that no matter how well you thought you knew people they could still surprise you.

**************************************** **************************************** *

Alexx had left H's office and gone straight to Calleigh, her main cohort in crime and told her their plan worked. Calleigh called Valera and Natalie into her lab and when they heard the news, their squabble just sort of evaporated and the four women started plotting. They drafted a notice, had H sign it and posted it on the bulletin board at once. The next day, they had everyone's name on slips and mounted in a big evidence container in the break room. The notice made it pretty plain that everyone was going to participate whether they wanted to or not so grumbling aside, everyone started drawing their name.

When Eric pulled out ‘Ryan Wolfe' he couldn't help but groan. He and Ryan were getting along a lot better lately. Ryan's eye injury, his gambling problems, his suspension and subsequent re-instatement combined with Eric's loss of Marisol, his trip to Brazil with H to take vengeance on her killer and his own brush with mortality had sort of put their little problems into perspective for both men. They realized they had to work together, they were partners and they not only had to depend on each other for backup and support but more importantly, they COULD depend on each other. But that didn't mean Eric was comfortable with trying to buy Ryan a Valentine present. He read the rules for the gift. You could spend as much as you wanted to BUT you had to spend at least $10.00 and it couldn't be a gag gift unless it was something like a game or a quality toy. It could not be anything that could be construed as sexist or sexual. Well that let out the silver lame thong…Where the hell did that thought come from?

Eric shook his head in confusion and decided he was even more exhausted than he realized. He started trying to find someone to exchange names with. He knew he could buy something for one of the girls a lot easier than he could Ryan.

**************************************** **************

The Committee of Four were over the moon when H told them about the commissioner's contribution to their party. They at once drew up a list of categories of dishes people could sign up to bring. At the bottom of the list, which was posted all over the lab and the police annex, was a statement to the effect that single people who didn't want to cook could provide the dishes, napkins, drinks, chips etc. In large bold capital letters, was one statement that pretty much let everyone know that if they didn't get into the spirit of things, the Committee of Four would make them pay. What with Calleigh and her guns and Valera and Boa Vista handling trace and of course, Alexx taking care of the body…everyone got the message. Have fun or DIE.

**********************************

Bringing something for the pot luck wasn't a problem for Eric. When he casually mentioned the event to his Mama, she and his sisters went into a frenzy of preparation. He was pretty sure he would be bringing enough food for the whole damn lab if they had anything to do with it. He finally managed to restrict them to one side dish, one salad and one…okay two spectacular deserts. But oh God, the present for Ryan; what the hell was he going to do? He'd racked his brain and could not come up with anything. Ryan was so damn finicky about his clothes he was afraid anything he picked would be too flamboyant for him, he had no idea what sort of movies he liked, he did know he liked to play some computer games but he'd not been able to get him to say what sort he liked or what he had. Every time he got Ryan to where he might be able to get some info out of him, one or the other or both got called to another crime scene or a different part of the lab.

In the meantime, Ryan was completely unaware of the turmoil his partner was going through. Ryan had drawn one of Frank Tripp's new detective's and she was a cinch to buy for. She loved clothes so he casually asked one of the older ladies in the lab what size they thought she would wear. He found a beautiful silvery green blouse that would look sensational on her and because he'd bought it at a consignment shop, it was only a fraction of its original price. He wasn't being cheap by the way; he'd heard her tell one of her friends about the shop and how much she loved anything she got there.

As the day for the party got closer and closer, everyone became caught up in the idea. It was sort of like it was something to concentrate on when the everyday pressures became too intense. Ryan was looking forward to the party. He had his gift, he was bringing a casserole (yes he could cook) and he hoped that he could spend a few minutes with his partner and just enjoy talking with him and not be up to their eyeballs in a crime scene. He was really surprised that he and Eric were getting along so well. When he thought about their first few months as co-workers, it was like day and night and he admitted that a lot of that was his fault. He'd been trying so hard at first he'd really made some stupid moves.

Maybe it was true that love was lovelier the second time around. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Why in the world would he think ‘love'? He meant partnership. Of course that's what he meant. Partnership was easier/better the second time around.

It was the morning of the party. Eric had spent a sleepless night. Well, if he was honest, he'd spent a sleepless four and a half hours which was all he'd had off before he was called back in again. He was almost happy. Lately he'd been dreaming about his partner, Ryan Wolfe. He was sure it was because of the ‘GIFT' which had now acquired the status of all caps whenever he thought of it (which was just about every single waking moment he wasn't concentrating on one of his many crime scenes).

Okay, that's a plausible idea except, why are you dreaming about walking on a beach at night with him or sitting across a candlelit dinner from him or putting your hand on his back and letting it slide down until it's resting on his beautiful, rounded…STOP IT. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

Now, you have to understand, the idea of dreaming about a man did not upset Eric Delko. He was not gay and he did not consider himself bi…he considered himself a lover of beauty in all its forms; male and female. He often thought of himself as an equal opportunity lover. It was not the plumbing but something intangible that caught his interest; the shine of light on silky hair, the smile on a pair of beautifully curved lips and most of all, a tight, firm, well shaped ass. Yes, Eric Delko was an ass man. He liked a nice pair of breasts and he also loved a smooth, well muscled chest but oh my God, give him an ass that he could grip in his hands with those little dimples just below the waist and he was ready. Actually I should say he was HARD and ready. He suddenly realized he'd seen a lot of Ryan's butt lately. They had been working together with almost no breaks for months now and it had become a habit with them that Ryan approached the body and inevitably bent over to take close-ups while Eric did the room photos. He also realized that for the last two months at least he'd been doing his job while sneaking glances at Ryan's ass and it was worthy of glances. Worthy hell, if he were honest, he would really like to just get down on his knees behind that ass and nip and kiss and fondle it for as long as his knees held out.

Eric had been driving on auto pilot and was amazed he'd gotten to the lab in one piece without killing himself or any other poor person on the route between his apartment and his work. He parked, turned off his keys and just sat there. He was dreaming about his partner, his male partner because he'd been fixating on his male partner for months now. He had no idea if Ryan like men. He knew for sure he liked women but that wasn't a sure sign because after all, he liked women and he sure as hell liked Ryan. Well he sure as hell liked Ryan's butt and since his butt was attached to a great package, he was pretty sure he was equally fixated on the entire package. What the hell was he going to do? He sat there with his head resting on his steering wheel trying to calm the chaotic storm inside his head.

Suddenly there was a rap on his window. He jumped so hard he almost snapped his neck. He looked over and found himself looking into a pair of handsome, amused hazel eyes. He rolled the window down and found he could not say a word because all he could see was Ryan's mouth. He knew Ryan was talking to him because he could see the mouth moving but all he could think about was how those lips would feel against his. How would they feel against his chest, over his heart, against and around his nipples, around his cock? Taking him all the way down his throat, swirling that pink tongue he could see between those lips, swirling it around the tip of his cock and dipping into… ERIC!.

"WHAT!"

"Eric are you sleeping with your eyes open man? Come on, we got to get in there. Is there any chance your mom would stop by my place and pick up my dish when she brings yours in?"

Eric mentally shook himself and got his thoughts off his partner's groin area and back to business. "Yeah, I'll give her a call right now. Is your key still in the same place?"

"Yes it is and the casserole is in the fridge in the yellow ceramic pan."

"Okay, I'll take care of it. Let's go see what they need us for this time."

As they walked into the building, Eric hung back just a little using his cell phone as an excuse and watched Ryan walking ahead of him. He knew then, he had to do something about this, he had to clear the air between them or he would have to leave the lab. He could not exist or work in this constant state of lust. Suddenly, he knew just exactly what he was going to give Ryan for his ‘GIFT'.

**************************************** ********

THREE MONTHS LATER

Eric woke up. He realized that the alarm clock was not what had roused him. Nor was it his cell or the land line. No, it was the warm, talented hands of his bed mate. He smiled even before his eyes opened. He was laying on his stomach and his partner, his love, his happiness (God he was getting sappy. Maybe that was a normal side effect of being outrageously happy and sexually satisfied. Oh my Lord was he satisfied…well evidently not because he was certainly responding to those warm, sneaky hands.) Ryan, his beautiful, sexy, partner, in every sense of the word, was slipping the sheets down and baring his butt. He felt the sheet go all the way down to the foot of their bed (that had to be the best two words in the whole world…their bed). Then he felt Ryan's warm breath followed by his soft lips on the swell of his ass. His talented partner began to kiss and nip at his butt. Who would ever have dreamed that Ryan was an ass man also? It turned out to be a wonderful thing because they could take turns topping and everyone was happy. Who was he kidding. He was happy washing dishes knowing Ryan was in the next room.

He thought back to ‘THE DAY'; the day of the Valentines party. He had given Ryan his present. It was a card with a hand written gift certificate for a night on the town with Eric paying for everything. Ryan had looked up at Eric, looked right into his eyes and down to the bottom of his soul. He walked over to him. Eric was expecting him to say ‘thanks' or ‘what the heck is this'. He was expecting anything except what he got; one word.

"When?"

Eric swallowed hard and managed to say, "When do you want?"

Ryan smiled the sweetest, most delectable smile and said, "Now, right now."

Eric smiled back and said, "I would really like to hold off until we can make a night of it if it's okay with you."

Ryan continued smiling that happy smile and said, "Well then, I think we better get this crime wave under control because I don't know about you, but I've ‘held off' just about as long as I can."

And they did just that. Things began to settle back down and two weeks later, they got the same night off. It was a night they would both remember for the rest of their lives. They had a fantastic dinner, on the balcony of Eric's apartment. His mom had prepared everything and had it all ready for Eric to heat and serve. The mojito's were strictly Eric's contribution. Miami was on its best behavior; the breeze was cool, the moon was bright and magic was abroad in the land. Well, it was for sure alive and well on Eric's balcony. Eric had sent a limo to pick up Ryan and bring him to his place. Ryan had no idea where he was being taken but he was ready. Oh my he was so ready. When the limo pulled up in front of the apartment building, he was not sure what was going on. Of course he recognized the building. He'd picked up Eric there on several occasions and he'd been there for drinks more than once. He got out and went inside. Eric was waiting in the lobby, looking a little nervous. He walked over and handed Ryan a long stemmed Tropicana rose. He took his hand and led him to the elevator and up to his apartment. He walked him through to the balcony and pulled out his chair for him. He took the rose from Ryan and said he would be right back. He came back with the rose in a crystal bud vase and a small silver tray holding two light green frothy drinks. He sat the vase on the table and served the drinks. He said he'd be right back and came back with two small platters of appetizers and sat them on the table. He turned on a small stereo and soft background music filled the air. He picked up his drink and held it out to Ryan. "I know this ought to be champagne but I really don't like champagne and I remember you saying last year that you didn't like it either so I hope this is okay with you."

Ryan smiled at Eric and said, "This is so alright with me Eric. Everything is perfect; the setting, the night, the music, the drinks and best of all, the company."

Eric let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and said, "Then let's toast perfection. I know exactly what it is. I'm looking at it."

Ryan looked at him, then said, "Oh god Delko; that was so corny. If you're going to keep that up, then I'm just going to drag you off to the bedroom right now and fuck your brains out. Maybe the next set will come up with something a little more original."

Eric looked at him and just burst out laughing. "If you're trying to get me to change my line, that's not the approach you want to be taking. All I can think of right now is every corny thing I've ever heard to make you keep your threat."

Ryan smiled back at him and said, "Well, I really want to drink this great drink and eat these good looking appetizers that I know Mama Delko made so why don't you just consider what I said a promise and not a threat."

Eric clinked his glass against Ryan's and said, "Deal."

They ate and talked and flirted. Hands touched and knees rubbed against each other under the table. After they ate, Eric cleared the table and came back out. He switched over to another CD and asked Ryan if he wanted to dance. The music was still soft but now there was definitely a Latin beat. Ryan said he wasn't that good at the Latin dances. Eric said he would show him. They stood and moved into each other's arms. Eric began to move his hips and Ryan tried to keep up but was a little stiff. Eric let his hands slip down to Ryan's butt; that wonderful, sexy, sensual butt that he'd dreamed and lusted over for so long. He pulled Ryan's groin into his and pressed their bodies close together. When he started moving, his hands on Ryan's butt made him move in time with him. Their hips moved together and they could feel the growing hardness between them.

With Eric's hands on his butt, Ryan slipped his own around Eric's neck. His head nestled perfectly into Eric's shoulder. He let his right hand slip down until it was resting on Eric's chest just over his heart. He could feel his heart beating in time with the rhythm and he realized that the rhythm was also beating in their hips. He pressed closer and let go of all his fears, his inhibitions and his worries about looking foolish. He just felt. He felt the night and Eric and the feelings growing between them. He knew it was more than sex. It had been more than sex on his part for a long time but now he knew it was more than that for Eric also. The dance ended and they pulled apart. Neither said a word but together walked into the apartment and into the bedroom. The moon was pouring through the windows. They could hear the music softly off in the distance. No one said a word as clothes were removed and dropped where they landed. Either Ryan was maintaining a firm control over his OCD or it had been banished for the night because he didn't say a word. When there was nothing but two beautiful bodies standing in the moonlight, they moved together and kissed. It was sensual and slow and so passionate. There was no grasping or clutching just a blend of lips and tongues moving together like they realized a part of themselves they had been looking for all their lives.

Eric was murmuring against Ryan's lips, calling him ‘querido' and ‘mi amour' and ‘mi bello hermoso'. Ryan knew he was making love to him in the language not just of his native tongue but his heart. He just held him close and said his name over and over. As far as Ryan was concerned, Eric was love so saying his name was telling him everything he felt in his heart and soul. They moved to the bed together and stretched out. Their bodies fit together skin to skin from mouth to toe. Their hands roamed and stroked everything. They both wanted to get inside each other.

Ryan moved his mouth away from Eric's and said, "Eric, I don't think I can last too long this first time. I'm so close to the edge right now I think I could climax just from one more kiss." He rolled over on his back and held his arms open and away from his body.

Eric looked down at him and closed his eyes for a moment. What are you supposed to think when you are offered everything you have ever wanted in your entire life? He moved over Ryan and asked him if this was the position he wanted. Ryan said yes; he wanted to see Eric when he came. He wanted to be looking right in his eyes. Eric reached into his nightstand and got the lube and a condom. He carefully prepared Ryan thinking that he was going straight to Hell because he had the same feeling of worship as he stroked his fingers over Ryan's tight entrance as he had when he was in church on his knees. He wanted to worship that sweet hole. He knew for him, it was truly the door to heaven. Ryan lifted his leg and nudged Eric. Eric looked at the handsome man beneath him and said, "What?"

Ryan grinned at him and said, "Will you get with the program Delko? I'm laying here wide open offering you my ‘according to you' spectacular ass and you're day dreaming. I've been waiting for this a long time. Don't make me wait any longer big boy."

Eric leaned down and kissed his smiling partner. He slipped one more finger in his ‘spectacular ass' and when Ryan sucked in his breath and started squirming against Eric's fingers, he knew he'd just hit the mother lode. He moved his fingers stretching and opening Ryan's tight hole. He made sure he stroked and hit that spot as often as possible until finally, Ryan grabbed his face between his hands and threatened him with dire happenings if he did not get inside him right that minute. Eric pulled his fingers out and told Ryan to put the condom on him. Ryan slid it on him so fast he had to hurry to get the lube on his hand so he could spread it over the condom. He took his other hand and used it to press his straining erection against Ryan's tight opening then he lifted his legs up on his shoulders and gently pressed into his body. He was amazed to discover he still had enough sense to halt and wait until Ryan's breath evened out a little then he pressed in very slowly. When he was inside that wonderful body, he paused again. He looked down at Ryan and knew this was where he was meant to be. This was what he had been looking for all his life and he was going to walk through fire to keep this man in his life and his bed forever. Ryan opened his eyes, looked up at him and said, "Me too."

Eric stopped for a second and said, "Me too What?"

Ryan said, "This is it for both of us. We're partners now in everything."

Eric leaned down kissed him and said, "A fucking mind-reader; just what I need."

Ryan held him in the kiss and started moving his hips. When he let him go, he said, "You better believe it baby. I'm the only thing you're going to need from now on. Now start moving that gorgeous butt of yours."

They both came not quite together but close enough. And yes, they were looking into each others eyes up until the last moment.

**************************************** *******************************

Eric suddenly turned his head and said, "Baby, let me turn over."

Ryan pulled back and helped Eric get into position. He flipped the top off the lube and prepped the much loved body beneath him. He slipped inside slowly and Eric let out his breath in a long sigh. "My God I can't believe how much better it feels without anything between us." They had both checked clean at their last exam and discarded the condoms. They kept them just in case they were exposed to anything in the course of their work but on a day to day basis, they were so committed to each other they didn't want even the tiny piece of latex to come between them.

They rocked together slowly; their thrusts slow and deep. When Ryan leaned down and took Eric's aching erection in hand and began to pump in time with his thrusts, Eric lasted for about three strokes and then threw his head back into the pillow and let out a deep groan that ended in ‘love you'.

Ryan reached his own orgasm almost at the same time and carefully lowered himself so he was not completely squishing Eric into the bed. When he finally had enough breath to speak, he said, "We have got to send flowers to Alexx."

Eric was drifting but came back enough to say, ‘Okay, is it her birthday or something?"

"No, just to say thank you."

"What for Querido?"

"You, everything, my whole world!!"

"Well, then we might as well just buy her a flower store."