DISCLAIMER: Don't owned the characters.
Chapter 1
Flashback
7 years ago
Horatio Caine, who normally stands at 6'0 if he wasn't sitting at his desk at the moment, with short red hair, bright blue eyes and a slim build, was doing his paperwork at the end of his work day when the phone rings on his desk.
He lays down his pen, picked up the receiver and answered. "Caine."
"Mr. Caine, Calleigh Duquesne is here for her interview."
"Thank you, send her in."
"Will do."
When he hung up the phone, he looked toward the door and waited for the new potential hire.
After one of his best CSI's suddenly quit a few weeks back, making them short staffed, he had to find a new hire, so when a newcomer from New Orleans called and had asked for an interview, and since she not only had experience as a CSI but a bullet expert, he thought he would give her the interview.
A few seconds later he sees a young woman at the height of around 5'3, a slim build with blond hair open the glass door, so he stands up from his chair, and when his blue eyes connected with her beautiful green ones, he felt his heart jump a little, but he shook it off quickly, then cleared his throat and held out his hand. "Nice to finally meet you in person, Calleigh Duquesne."
Calleigh smiled while she shook his hand. "Thank you sir."
Horatio smiled in return as she released her hand. "Please, call me Horatio."
She nodded while speaking in her southern accent. "Ok, Horatio."
He nodded, then waited for her to sit down before he sat back down.
He took a moment to get her file that he had gotten from the New Orleans lab, opened it, looked it over, then looked at Calleigh before asking. "So was there a particular reason why you left New Orleans?"
Calleigh shook her head and replied. "Not really, I just felt like I needed a new scenery, I practically grew up in and around the area."
Horatio nodded in understanding and responded. "Ready to spread your wings?"
Calleigh chuckled with a nod, which made Horatio's heart tingle at the sound too, he mentally shook his head as she continued. "Yes, I would have to agree."
They smiled at each other, then after a few more questions, he closed the file that was in front of him. "You'll know in a day or two."
Calleigh nodded as she stood up from her chair, which he followed suit before they shook hands again, and as they were releasing them, she smiled and replied. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, enjoy the rest of your day."
Calleigh nodded again. "You too."
After one more nod, she turned and started walking toward the glass door before walking out. He would have watched her walk away from his office, but at the moment the blinds had been blocking his view, but a part of him had to see her one more time, so he walked to the window and looked outside, then he smiled a little as he watched her walk to her vehicle.
Once she got in, he walked back to his desk, picked up his phone, dialed the receptionist's desk and said. "Felicia, call Calleigh Duquesne before you leave today to tell her she got the job and make sure you put her on the payroll."
"You got it, Horatio."
As he was setting the receiver of the phone down he mentally smiled to himself. He didn't need hours or days to think this hire through, pushing is own personal feelings aside for the blond, as a boss, he felt she was going to be a major asset to the team and he believes she'll fit in perfectly here, and he knew he couldn't pass up a good thing when he saw it standing in front of him.
End of flashback
As Horatio came back to the present he was looking out of his office window, watching Calleigh comforting the victim's family, he sighed a little as he watched her walk back toward the building.
He was right about her being an asset to the team right away and it didn't take her long to become good friends with them either. Their bond had also gotten stronger through the years, especially these last few months after they lost one of their own. The day that he hugged her in the locker room was the day he realized that he couldn't deny how he felt about her anymore, he just hasn't found the courage to voice it yet.
He mentally shakes his head and thinks. 'Someday.'
After another sigh, he walks away from the window and heads out of the office so he could dismiss the team since shift was over.
One week later
After another day was in the books, Horatio walks into the break room, then frowned a little as he asked. "Where is Calleigh?"
The team, which also included, Medical Examiner Alexx Woods, Eric Delko, and a newcomer just this month, Ryan Wolfe, looked at their boss a little solemnly as Eric replied. "I think she's still in the ballistics lab, the case took a lot out of her."
Alexx Woods was closes to Horatio's age, in fact only four months separated them, she was African-American, around 5'4, slim with rown hair and brown eyes, Eric Delko was Cuban, 5'11, with an athletic build, short black hair and brown eyes, and Ryan Wolfe was Caucasian, 5'9 with an athletic build, short brown hair and hazel eyes.
Ryan added. "All of us really."
Horatio nodded in understanding, any case can have an affect on the team, but the ones that dealt with kids hit them the hardest, especially young ones, he mentally shook his head and cleared his throat. "Why don't you guys get out of here and work on the paper work tomorrow, it has been a long day, ok?"
They nodded with a small smile and Eric replied. "Thanks H." Horatio nodded as Eric asked. "Do you want me to check on Calleigh?"
He could see the worry look on the young man's face as he replied. "I'll do it, thanks Eric."
Eric just nodded, then after a sympathy look between Alexx and Horatio, Horatio left the room, leaving the others behind.
After taking the elevator down to the ballistics lab, he walked to the room and saw it was empty, but before he left to check the locker room, he asked. "Calleigh, you in here?"
There was a moment of silence and he thought she really wasn't in there, so he was about to turn around when he heard a soft voice. "I'm in here."
He walks further in the room until he reached her office, then his eyes automatically looked down and he saw that she was sitting on the floor with her back against the drawers of her desk. His worry grew as she looked up at him with red eyes, indicating she had been crying at one point.
He walked up to her, and as he bent down, she shakes it off and said. "I'm fine, it isn't like it was my first case dealing with little kids."
Horatio nodded as he puts his hand on her shoulder. "No, but it doesn't get any easier."
She sniffled as she shook her head, then while looking into his caring blue eyes, she asked. "How are you doing?"
He sighed. "About the same as everybody else." She nodded in understanding, then he continued as they continued to look at one another. "Come on, let's get out of here, I'll take you home."
She shook her as they stood up. "You don't have to do that."
"I'll feel better if I know that you got home safely."
A warmness filled her and she smiled a little, which the smile made his heart skip a few beats, then they mentally shook their heads as she replied. "Ok."
Horatio smiled with a nod, then after she grabbed her things and locked up her office, Calleigh and Horatio left the lab before he took her home, which was in a neighborhood that had very friendly people in it.
After he pulled in the driveway of the white, one-story house with a chain link fence around the yard, he turns the engine off to his vehicle, looked toward the passenger seat, which she gives him a little smile and said. "Thank you."
He gives her a little smile in return. "You're welcome."
She puts her hand on the door handle, but before she opens it, she looked at him and asked shyly. "Horatio, will you come in with me for a bit?"
She didn't feel like being alone just yet, and if there was one person that could make her feel better, it was Horatio.
He wasn't only her boss, he was her best friend.
"Of course."
After one more small smile between them, Horatio takes his keys out of the ignition before they got out of his vehicle and walked to her front door so they could spend a little time together, which neither one would complain one bit on that, no matter how the time was spent.