Lol, this is the product of my overactive imagination. I've tried very hard to keep 'Desperate Measures' as a pretty serious fic, but sometimes a totally random idea hits me and I just have to indulge it. Hope it's well recieved!

Ryan made his way slowly towards Natalia's house; out of nervousness, he wiped his sweaty palms down his smart black trousers and then cursed for getting them dirty.

Knock knock.

A gentle padding sounded on the other side of the door, followed shortly by a series of sharp clicks as the key was turned in the lock. Eventually the door slid open just a crack to reveal a pair of red rimmed, deep brown eyes.

"Hey Nat," Ryan called through the small opening, "everything okay?" He asked in a concerned tone, noticing for the first time the tears which were gathered on the tips of Natalia's dark eyelashes.

"Yeah . . . Well no." Came the reply in a voice which was unmistakably Natalia's, thick with tears and emotion.

"What's up?" Ryan tried again, genuinely worried by Natalia's strange behaviour.

"I . . . uh . . . I can't come out with you tonight Ryan, I'm so sorry." She said hurriedly.

Ryan's heart sank. He had known that when Natalia had agreed to be his 'just as friends' date for one of the lab techs engagement parties, it had been too good to be true. Has she found a real date? Ryan wondered miserably, cursing himself for not being brave enough to ask Natalia out properly. Just because a 'just as friends' date doesn't mean 'just as friends' to you Wolfe, doesn't mean Natalia would have though it was anything more than a convenient way of you both having a semi reasonable night. Of course she wouldn't think twice about blowing you off if someone manned up enough to ask her out properly.

"Did you make plans with somebody else?" Ryan sighed and asked instead.

"Huh?" Natalia's confusion was apparent through what little Ryan could see of her expression.

"You know . . . did somebody ask you out on a serious date to this party?" Ryan bit his lip, having already decided he knew the answer.

"No," Natalia replied in a small voice, "and now I'll never get a date again." A quiet sob escaped her and a few of the tears on her eyelashes started to trickle slowly down her cheeks.

"Nat, what are you on about?" Ryan queried, placing a hand on the door and giving it a gently push. The door remained firmly in position and after Ryan had increased the strength of the push a little, he realised Natalia must be leaning on the other side. Ryan was pretty sure his arm was strong enough to contend with Natalia's bodyweight, but he decided to leave the door be.

"I look hideous!" She choked as tears leaked steadily out of her eyes.

"Har har. What's really the matter?" Ryan asked, struggling to keep the panic from his voice. What the hell happened? He thought furiously. If anyone's hurt her I swear I'll –

"That is the matter!" Natalia wailed.

"Okay, calm down Nat. Who did this too you?" Did what? Ryan wondered at his own question, slightly worried that his first instinct was to beat the living daylights out of whoever's fault this was.

"M-m-my hairdresser!" Natalia wept.

"That little fu – Hold on a sec, your hairdresser? What exactly did he do?" Ryan questioned, his bewilderment growing larger by the second. What on earth has Natalia's hairdresser done to upset her this much?

Ryan watched Natalia's eyes dart swiftly up and down the road. After several seconds she drew a deep, shaky breath and slowly pulled open the door.

"Get in you idiot! I don't want anyone else to see me!" She hissed as Ryan stared at her in confusion.

Ryan stepped quickly inside and Natalia slammed the door shut behind her.

"Nat . . . I don't get it, what's up?"

"What's up?" Natalia screamed in exasperation. "This is what's up!" She grabbed fistfuls of her glossy brunette locks and let them fall back into place as tears continued to course, unchecked, down her face.

"Erm . . . it looks fine to me?" Ryan said hesitantly, unsure of how he should reply. No matter which angle he viewed Natalia from, he could make out absolutely no difference in her hair from how it usually was. It was still thick and shiny and smooth, still retained its lustrous chocolate brown colour . . . Ryan couldn't even make out a difference in length and wondered what her hairdresser had done at all.

"It doesn't, it looks dreadful!" Natalia wailed, flying onto her sofa and burying her face in her hands as her shoulders shook from her sobs.

Ryan walked over and placed and awkward hand on the small of her back. "Nat?" He murmured.

No response, only more sobs. Ryan wondered if she had even heard, but took a deep breath and continued anyway.

"Natalia Boa Vista, there is no way on this planet that you could ever look anything less than stunningly beautiful."

Natalia's body fell still and eventually she turned her tear streaked face up to Ryan's. Her eyes blazed in a desperate hope. "Do you really mean that?" She asked in a tiny voice, almost as if she was afraid of Ryan's reply.

Ryan sat down beside her and wrapped a powerfully built arm around her shoulders. "Course I do." He smiled.

Natalia's eyes pierced into his, searching for the lie, but they found none. "But my hair . . ." She murmured.

". . . Looks amazing, as always." Ryan finished for her.

Natalia threw her arms around Ryan and buried her face in his chest. "Thank you Ry, you always know what to say." She said, her voice muffled by the fact that she was speaking into Ryan's shirt.

Ryan slowly moved to wrap his arms around her delicate frame, holding her close and breathing in her intoxicating scent. "I try," he whispered, planting a kiss amid her beautiful hair, "I try."

After several minutes of just sitting there, intertwined, Natalia suddenly pulled away. "Ryan!" She said urgently. "The party!" She jumped to her feet and grabbed Ryan's hand to drag him with her.

"Uh, you're going in sweats?" Ryan pointed out.

"Damn! You wait there, I'll be right back!" Natalia flashed him a grin and raced out of sight, her sombre mood seeming to have dissipated completely.

When she returned to Ryan in the living room she was dressed in a cute little black dress, her make up had been fixed up and her hair hung in loose curls.

"Liking the hair." Ryan winked.

"Oh you!" She exclaimed with a laugh and a playful slap.

Ryan held out an arm as Natalia locked her front door. "May I?" He asked in a fair imitation of a British 'gentleman'.

Natalia giggled as she linked arms with him. "You may. Who needs a real date when I have friends like you?"

For the second time the evening Ryan's heart sank. Damn! Maybe one day we can be more than friends?

Lol see what I mean? Totally random I know, but I hope you enjoyed it xD Please review ^^ (I love me some reviews xD)