A/N: Yeeh, the last chapter. Well... nothing more to tell. Except from, read, enjoy and review!
Ryan looked in the mirror for the fourth time in ten minutes, to comb his hair again. But that one lock of hair didn't want to stay in place. Ryan held his hands under the water from the tap and pushed the lock down impatiently. But in vain, the lock jumped back to where it was.
'Ryan! Ryan stop the compulsive combing of your hair and come help me with my tie, please!'
Ryan smiled. However nervous he was, Rowan made him always feel al little better. He put his comb back in its place and walked towards his brother.
It had been two weeks since the surgery and Rowan looked a lot better already. He stayed at Ryan's at the moment, so Ryan could look after him. Since he was not allowed to go back to work yet.
'Well, what do you think? Is it alright?'
Rowan nodded. 'Thanks Ry.
Ryan wanted to go back inside the bathroom, to comb his hair again, but Rowan grabbed his arm.
'Why are you acting all nervous Ry? Your hair is just fine and your colleagues are nice, aren't they?'
'Maybe you are right, Rowan. But I just don't want anything to go wrong.'
'Why would something go wrong? I am there and I will always have your back, just like you always had mine.'
That's true, Ryan thought. Horatio had called yesterday, to invite both Rowan and him for dinner with the whole team. Obviously everyone wanted to atone, like Eric and him had done two weeks ago.
'And you can always blame me. They won't see the difference now anyway.'
Ryan smiled and looked at his brother, his mirror. One an IQ above average, the other an IQ under average. One a lefty, the other a righty. Even their hair parted exactly on the other side. With the same lock that didn't want to stay into place. Ryan had given Rowan the same clothes as his deliberately, so they could confuse his colleagues. But he would never blame Rowan for his mistakes… Never again.
'I would never do that… never again. You know that, right?'
Ryan saw a flicker of hurt in Rowans eyes, but he regained his happiness and nodded.
Ryan pushed his guilt away and sighed. 'Let's go, otherwise we will be late.'
…
Ryan looked up the building where they were standing in front of.
'Oh God.'
'Come on Ry, or we really will be late. And you don't like being late,' Rowan said with a grin on his face.
'Is the restaurant really at the twelfth floor? Who comes up with something as idiotic as that?'
'Hey boys,' a familiar voice said.
'Hey Natalia,' Rowan answered happily.
Natalia looked at Rowan quizzically when Ryan didn't react to her but remained staring at the high building.
Rowan's grin grew. 'Ryan is afraid of heights.'
'Really? I didn't know that.'
'I thought you would have my back, Rowan,' Ryan grumbled.
'Sorry Ry,' Rowan said still with a wide grin on his face.
'I won't tell anyone, Ryan,' Natalia said. 'But let's go, you will survive.'
Ryan followed Natalia and Rowan reluctantly into the building and into the elevator, towards the twelfth floor. When he heard the ping, that gave the token the elevator arrived at it's destination, Ryan sighed deeply. He felt a hand at his back and stumbled out of the elevator. Natalia had given him a little push in the right direction.
'Goodevening, lady and gentlemen,' said a waitress a bit too enthusiastic. 'Welcome at restaurant "The View." Did you reserve?'
What a original name for a restaurant at the twelfth floor, Ryan thought sarcastically. Whilst hoping that they didn't have a table near the window.
'Yes, I think we have,' Natalia answered. 'For the name Caine.'
'Ah right, your friends have already arrived. You will see them when you walk further into the restaurant. Can I take your coats?'
Natalia, Rowan and Ryan gave their coats to the waitress and walked further into the restaurant.
Natalia rolled her eyes. 'Didn't you really have any other clothes to wear, boys?'
Both Rowan and Ryan grinned. But Ryan's grin faded quickly when he saw they really did have a table near the window.
'My boys!' Alexx called enthusiastically whilst first hugging Ryan and then Rowan. 'I really don't understand why you haven't told you have a brother earlier, Ryan. How can I not like him? He is such a sweetie.'
'Thank you, Alexx,' Rowan said smiling.
Alexx gave Rowan a kiss in his hair. 'I have a present for you, Rowan.'
'For me? Really for me?' Rowan asked surprised.
Alexx gave Rowan the present and he enthusiastically ripped the paper off of it, with a big smile on his face.
'Crayons! Thank you Alexx!'
'Oh, you are very welcome, sweetie,' Alexx said smiling. She turned her attention towards Ryan. 'And don't think I won't see the difference in the two of you! That is mother instinct, you know.'
Ryan laughed. At least Rowans night was already a success. A big bunch of blonde hair appeared in front of Ryan and the person who it belonged to hugged him.
'Hey Calleigh.'
'Hey Ryan. I am so glad to see you. I am so sorry for my behavior.'
'Don't worry about it Calleigh, you couldn't have known.'
'About that, you can always tell me everything. You don't have to be ashamed of anything. Don't forget that, all right?'
'Thank you, Calleigh.' Ryan let go of her and Eric came to him immediately. They shook each others hand.
'How are you feeling?'
'Much better, thanks for asking Eric. And how are you… and Calleigh?'
Eric gave Ryan a playful push. 'There is nothing going on, Wolfe.'
'Yeah, yeah, sure there isn't.' Ryan felt a big hand on his shoulder and his knees almost gave in.
'Hey little guy,' Tripp said. 'Glad to have you back.'
'Thanks Tripp.'
'May I have your attention!' Horatio called from their table. 'Because I have the most fantastic team I can wish for, and I want to have all the team members a bit longer, am I paying the bill this night!'
All team members cheered in approval.
Horatio smiled. 'Besides that I want to thank our youngest team member in particularly. Because he gets it done to be both the best brother and best employee in one day. But I do want to recommend him to not try that again. At least not in that way.'
Everyone laughed, including Ryan. Because of Horatio's light-hearted attitude he himself felt a little more relaxed.
'Well, let's go take a seat and eat!'
…
When they were eating a little later, Ryan started to tense up a little again. Rowan was enthusiastically telling Horatio a story about how Ryan and him fooled some people when they were younger. There wasn't something wrong with that, since Horatio was listening amused. But Rowan was eating with his hands and Ryan's OCD couldn't stand that.
'Rowan, please. Eat with your cutlery!' Ryan said a little irritated.
Rowan looked a little hurt. 'But I'm not good at that. I'm sorry Ry.'
'Leave him,' Eric said. 'He is a tough guy after all.'
'Let me help you, Rowan,' Calleigh said who sat next to Rowan. She laid his knife and fork correct in his hands. 'It should work like this.'
'Thank you, Calleigh,' Rowan said smiling, whilst trying to cut his meat. But because of his clumsiness he nudged his glass and the water fell on the table.
'Oh, Rowan,' Ryan said irritated.
'I'm sorry Ryan, I am really sorry. I'm sorry I'm not as neatly as you are,' Rowan said panicky.
'Not to worry, sweetie,' Calleigh said whilst dab the water of the table with a table napkin. 'See, nothing to worry about. Just a little more practice and you can do it.'
'Don't mind your brother, Rowan,' said Natalia. 'His OCD is just in overdrive when he is tense, isn't it, Ryan?'
'Yeah… yeah, I am sorry Rowan, it doesn't matter,' Ryan sighed.
Natalia, who sat next to Ryan, stroked his back. 'Don't worry Ryan,' she whispered. 'You don't have to be ashamed of him. Look around you. Don't you see how much everyone likes him? Even when he is a little different then "normal" people. It actually makes him kind of cute, don't you think?'
Ryan looked around him. Natalia was right. His colleagues were all laughing and talking with Rowan, not about Rowan. Whilst Rowan was enjoying the attention intensely.
Just like one big, happy family.
Aww finally a good ending. Sorry if you had hoped for a longer chapter, but well, I think the story was told.
And yes, why it is Ryan's fault his parents died, remains a secret. Gives me a reason to write more, gives you a reason to come back and check my page I guess. Isn't that a win-win? Yeah, I thought so too.
Well, I hoped you enjoyed en don't forget to review =D.