Cat's out of the bag (Nate)

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When Raya asked him if she'd be alright, he couldn't help but smile as he passed his hand through her hair. "It looks like the bullet went all the way through. I just need to stop the bleeding and patch you up. You'll be just fine" Those dark mossy green eyes looked into hers trying to be soothing.

Raya nodded, smiling back at him as James joined them, carrying a few towels and the med kit. She noticed how his cheeks flushed as he looked at her. As he placed a towel over her upper chest, and another behind her head. She gave him a rather grateful smile.

He then winked and gave her a double thumbs up to reassure her that she was in good hands. Nake chuckled and pointed to Raya's wound. "Okay, I need you to apply pressure here for me. This might not even need stitching." His eyes wandered over her other scars. She looked as rough as he did. He gently applied the iodine to the bullet entrance and exit wounds. It was a powerful disinfectant that wouldn't sting. After a few moments, the bleeding had subsided and Nate sighed in obvious relief. He took a gauze bandage and taped one firmly to each wound and helped her sit upright so he could take the gauze wrap and secure the bandages in place.

Raya shivered from feeling the cold disinfectant on her open wound. It wasn't an awful feeling, she just didn't expect it. Her eyes wandered about the kitchen trying to distract herself. Before she knew it, Nate was placing a bandage on each opening.

As he had her sit up, she held the towel in place, watching as he wrapped some gauze around her. Well she may have looked like she was becoming a mummy, but at least she didn't need stitches.

He smiled and kissed her forehead before looking at her "There.. should patch up just fine. Now.. Bed.. That's going to need a day or so to heal. Come on" and he gently lifted Raya into his arms to he could carry her upstairs.

Raya clung to Nate as he picked her up. With a wave to James, she said as she was carried off. "Night James. Thank you, sleep well."

When they were finally upstairs, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Nate... Can I sleep with you?" Raya hadn't meant anything by that, she just didn't want to be alone right now. Also, she just felt safer when he was near. "Please?"

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Nate paused at her pleading request. He looked down at her and he could feel a pang of sadness mixed with the urge to hold Raya tightly to him. He gently kissed her forehead as he continued taking her up the stairs. Her request to stay with him tonight reminded him so much of his little sister, Nadine. Infact, the more he thought about it, Raya reminded him a lot of her. Nadine had been a red head. Not near as dark as Raya's hair, more of a Strawberry blond, with a green eye and a blue eye. Raya's green eyes reminded him of Nadine's one green eye.

“Of course you can. Besides, I need to keep an eye on you tonight. In case you need something.” he replied softly. His door was always left ajar, out of habit. He nudged it open with his foot and pulled down the covers and laid Raya upon the bed, brushing her bangs away from her face. “I'm going to make a quick phone call, see how Will is doing.. and I'll be right back, alright?”

He smiled and took out his cell phone and stepped out of the room to and called the hospital to check up on his partner. He was relived to he hear that Will was in no immediate danger and that the bullet was removed with no complications. Will just needed time to rest and recover. Nate smiled and headed into the bathroom to change into sleepwear. Which consisted of a pair of baggy charcoal grey pants and a black muscle shirt. He came back in and sat on the opposite side of the bed and looked down at Raya with a soft smile. “Will's going to be fine. He should be able to go home in the morning”

He slipped under the covers and folded his arms to rest behind his head and he stared up at the ceiling. It.. Was such a strange feeling having Raya laying beside him. He wasn't sure how he felt about her. He cared about her, but he didn’t know if it was because she reminded him of his sister, or if it was something else.

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“Of course you can. Besides, I need to keep an eye on you tonight. In case you need something.” he replied softly.

She gave a light smile at his response, as he carried her into his room. Before she knew it, Nate had pulled the covers back, got her soaked jeans off, and laid her down in his bed. And when he brushed her bangs out of her eyes, she could feel her cheeks heat up.

“I'm going to make a quick phone call, see how Will is doing.. and I'll be right back, alright?”

She nodded slowly, mainly due to total exhaustion from everything that happened earlier that day. Then she watched as her detective walked out of the room. When he returned, he was in some sleepwear, instead of his usual work attire.

He came around to the opposite side of the bed and sat down. As he smiled at her, he told her what he found out about his parter.

“Will's going to be fine. He should be able to go home in the morning”

"That's good." Raya replied with a yawn, as he joined her under the covers. "What.. Whatcha thinking about?"

On a normal day, she would feel very awkward being in bed, in only her undergarments, and with a man. However, today wasn't very normal, and she was very tired, and cold. Nate was warm, and a wonderful pillow, as she found out last night. And by now, she had managed to snuggle up to her detective as close as she possibly could, using his chest as her pillow.

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Nate stared at the ceiling, only half thinking about what had all just happened. His partner had been shot and he had blatantly lied to Raya about his condition. The bullet had nicked Will's spine and it's looking slim that his partner would ever walk again. But he wasn't about to tell Raya this. Not right now, in any case. She'd also just been shot and he didn't need her freaking out thinking she also might never walk.

Raya had managed to bring him out of his thoughts as she rested her head against his chest and he looked down at her somewhat awkwardly. This would be twice in a row that she had slept in his company. His memories tugged mournfully at him as Nadine entered his thoughts. His autistic younger sister, with the fair blond hair and mismatched eyes. When something had Nadine scared (which was often, in their childhood) Nadine would insist on sleeping with her big brother.

Nate tentatively trailed his thick fingers through Raya's scarlet hair and looked down at her. “I'm not really thinking anything” he quietly lied and leaned his head down to dot a kiss to her forehead. Something he so often did for Nadine when she'd been frightened. “Just try and get some sleep...”

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Nate tentatively trailed his thick fingers through Raya's scarlet hair and looked down at her. “I'm not really thinking anything” he quietly lied and leaned his head down to dot a kiss to her forehead. Something he so often did for Nadine when she'd been frightened. “Just try and get some sleep...”

There was something comforting about someone running their fingers through one's hair. Raya supposed that's how pets felt when someone petted them. Though it really depended on the pet, er... Person.

Yet, when he kissed her forehead, her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. She figured she would never get use to that. So instead, she focused on his fingers going through her strands of hair. It didn't take long before her eyes had closed, and her breathing had became slow and even.

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When Raya awoke, her side felt sore, and she had the most pressing urge to move. Where too? Well, she didn't want to move away from the wonderful heat source, known as Nate. She just couldn't stay in that spot.

The only logical thing Raya could do at that moment... Sleep on top of him, of course.

Slowly, and carefully, she managed to slide on-top of her detective. A soft smile appeared on her face, as she nuzzled her face into his chest. The only thought in her head, 'So much better...'

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Nate had stared blankly at the ceiling for past few hours thinking about Will and his wife, Kate. He was going to head into town and get flowers and a card as soon as the shops opened and he could visit his partner. His hand had come to rest on Raya's shoulder as she laid her head against his chest and had snugged up so close to him. But his thoughts were broken when she shifted to suddenly lay on top of him. He looked down at her, perplexed and had his hands resting on her shoulders as she nuzzled into him again.

He drew in a slow breath and lowered his head, having or arch his spine, sitting him up only slightly and kissed the top of her head before laying back down. His arms then came to wrap around her, protectivly, and he shut his eyes. He felt his heart rate begin to slow and without the aid of aspirin, the dull throb that normally pounded away at the back of his head died away.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Nate found himself drifting to sleep, content to hold her there, knowing she was safe.

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Raya slowly awoke around seven-thirty in the morning. She could feel Nate's arms holding her to his chest. She laid there still, just listening to the beating of his heart.

She looked up at his sleeping face, he looked so peaceful. Raya couldn't help it as a light smile grew on her face. Then she looked up at his messy brown hair.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, wasn't even sure why she wanted to. However, she reached her left hand up slowly, and began to run her fingers through his hair.

His hair was soft, thick, and the ends tickled her palm. It fasinated her to no end, as she continued petting her detective. When she thought of something.

Raya moved up a little, at least as much as she could with his arms around her. She placed her elbows on either side of his head. Just so she could massage his scalp gently.

She shivered as she felt the cold air against her shoulders. It was this, that reminded her just how much; or rather; few articles of clothing, she was actually wearing. Her cheeks turned a light pink color. The fact that she had slept directly on top of him, wasn't helping.

"Morning…" Raya whispered softly to him. A shy smile on her face, as she looked down at him.

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Nate stirred slightly and his arms subconsciously came to enwrap the woman in a light hug, He was teetering on the edge of asleep and awake. That strange part of the mind where reality and dreams blend. He sighed softly, , a slight smile tugging at his lips. Until he felt a body shift, sliding upwards against him, a pair of arms nestled on either side of his head and fingers trailing through his hair.

Those dark mossy green eyes groggily forced themselves open to look upwards. Raya had apparently, at some point during the night, decided that he was a more comfortable choice than the bed. He cleared his throat and looked up at her, arching a brow and muttered groggily “Comfortable?” and could only smirk and roll his eyes when she brightly chirped “Morning” to him. He tilted his head to the side and felt it prudent to remind her she was only in her undergarments. “You know... Normally, I'm unopposed to a nearly naked woman laying on me, first thing in the morning.. But, perhaps we should... refrain from the morning frivolities until your side heals?”

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Raya smiled down at Nate as he slowly opened his dark green eyes. She rather liked his eyes, though she didn't quite know why. Then she heard him clear his throat, which made her blink and focus on him.

"Comfortable?" He asked, the tone in his voice sounded tired. Raya couldn't help but nod, grinning down at him. She ran her fingers through his hair again, before she answered him.

"Morning.." She greeted him, rather cheerfully. "And, very comfortable." Raya fidgeted slightly to get a little more comfortable. Though when he tilted his head to the side, Raya couldn't help but copy him. He seemed to be thinking about something, only she couldn't tell what it was.

"You know..." Nate started, which made Raya curious as to what he was going to say. Normally when someone says 'You know...' they're about to give a hint onto how to properly do something. Or to say something that's completely obvious, and their pointing it out as if you should have already known that.

"Normally, I'm unopposed to a nearly naked woman laying on me," He continued, "First thing in the morning.."

Raya's cheeks began to turn a dark red. She was only now remembering that she was on top of the detective. And only now, did she remember that she was only in her underwear.

"But, perhaps we should..." Raya stared at him, her eyes widening as he finished up his whole thought. "Refrain from the morning frivolities until your side heals?" 

Morning frivolities? What did that... Oh!

Suddenly Raya scrambled to get off of the man, only, she really should have been paying attention to which side had more room. Seeing as not a moment later, she found herself on the floor, with a rather sore tailbone to go with her sore side. On top of that, she was feeling goose bumps form on her skin, from the cold air. Not the best way to start off a new day...

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Nate sate up with an arched brow as she fell out of the bed with an undignified squeak. He couldn't help but smirk as he pulled the covers off and swung his legs off the edge of the bed and stood and came to kneel behind her and gently help her back to her feet

"Let's not reopen the wound and start bleeding again, huh?" he said, gently setting her back on the bed and brushing her hair from her eyes. His eyes trailed down her figure for a moment. before smirking. He went into his rather large closet and pulled out a long dark green bathrobe and handed it to her.

"So you're not wandering around the house, nearly naked.. Wouldn't want James getting the wrong idea." he said with an odd chuckle. He didnt need the old cudger thinking that they had either A: slept together or B: think it was now acceptable to walk around the house naked. That was a side of James he never wanted to see... ever.

"I'm going to go see if Jame's has started breakfast or not.. You hungry?" he said pausing at the door way to look back at her.

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She heard the bed move and she looked up to see the Detective behind her, as he helped her back up to her feet. Soon enough, she was sitting on the side of the bed. "Let's not reopen the wound and start bleeding again, huh?" He asked as his eyes moved down her body, and she couldn't help but notice the smirk on his face. 

Raya raised one of her eyebrows, "Take a picture, it might last longer." She might have been grateful that he saved her life, but that didn't mean she was going to get all frisky with him. Even though she grew up on the streets, she still had... Well she had something. She knew that. 

He handed her a dark green bathrobe, which she gladly accepted. "So you're not wandering around the house, nearly naked.." Raya nodded, as she quickly put on the bathrobe, immediately realizing just how big it was for her. "Wouldn't want James getting the wrong idea." Again she had to quirk her eyebrow up at the detective.

"And the wrong idea would be?" She asked curiously, even though a tiny flicker in the back of her head told her that she already knew. She tied the robe belt in a single knot, around her middle. Raya tried not to tie it too tight, so that she didn't accidently break the stiches. 

"I'm going to see if Jame's has started breakfast or not.." Nate said as he walked towards the door, pausing before stepping out. "You hungry?" 

She grinned at him, as she replied. "Only seven days a week, three times a day." Okay, so perhaps she was a bit of a smartarse in the morning, but it meant she was that much closer to being fully awake. "Detective..." Raya paused for a moment. "Nate. Thank you, again."

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"Take a picture, it might last longer."

Nate just smirked at her as he lifted his finger to tap the side of his temple "Photographic memory" but he got the hint, he hand't realized he'd been staring at her. He chuckled as he offered her the robe so that she wasn't wandering around the house in next to nothing, making mention that James might get the wrong idea.

"And the wrong idea would be?"

"I dunno.. Beautiful young lady in next to nothing, a grouchy old man like me? Spend a night in the same bed? You do the math." he chuckled. Yeah, she was a good lookin gal, but she was a bit young for him. In fact, Nate realized he'd never bothered to ask how old she was. For all he knew she could have been a sixteen year old girl. 'Oh well, wouldn't that just be fantastic?' he thought to himself. The last thing he needed hanging over his head was an under-aged girl screaming rape, even though nothing had happened. "You hungry?"

"Only seven days a week, three times a day." Nate smirked, glad she seemed to be in better spirits than she she'd first woke up. He nodded and went to head out the door before her voice caught his attention. "Detective..." Raya paused for a moment. "Nate. Thank you, again."

"Hey. Don't sweat it." he walked back over to her and looked down at her, perhaps a little more fondly than was appropriate. He trailed his finger to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before taking a step back. "C'mon.. Let's get something to eat. James makes a pretty mean omelet"

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The man smirked at her after she told him to take a picture, tapping the side of his temple. "Photographic memory" Raya blinked, as it registered into her head. He already got the bloody picture... She wasn't sure if she should look shocked, start blushing, or if she should try really hard not to do anything... Really stupid, around him. So she settled for changing the subject slightly. "And the wrong idea would be?" She asked curiously, even though she had a feeling she already knew.

"I dunno.. Beautiful young lady in next to nothing, a grouchy old man like me? Spend a night in the same bed? You do the math." Nate answered with a chuckled. Right... James might think they had got up to. She blushed at the thought.. Morning frivolities, as her detective had so carefully worded only a couple moment before. "Right..." Raya replied, as she closed up the robe he gave her. She grinned as he asked if she was hungry. To which she had responded with a playful answer, and proceeded to thank him.

"Hey. Don't sweat it." He responded, walking back towards her. After nearly causing her to fluster, as he tucked some of her hair behind one of her ears. "C'mon.. Let's get something to eat. James makes a pretty mean omelet." Raya grinned brightly at the sound of a omelet, and stood up. Quickly making her way out of his room, and to the stairs. She took only a second to debate the fastest way down the stairs, only to pick the railing. While it might not have been the smartest of ideas, it certainly was the quickest.

"Come on slow poke," She teased him, and just as she set her feet back onto the ground, she felt a slight chill.. Looking back, she had somehow lost the robe on the banister. Well, great... Karma.