Chapter one

I hope the beginning isn't to slow or boring but I promise it will get better and longer. Feel free to review. Also please excuse me if there are still some mistakes in it.

It was a beautiful hot summer day in Miami, the city were lately the crime rates reached a new level, partly due to new 'gang wars'. Although Miami's finest did their very best to fight the increasing numbers, it seemed that every time they took someone of the streets, two refilled that empty space. "Depressing" Eric earlier mentioned. Something to which Horatio agreed. Something had to be done, certainly when yet another young woman was found raped and then murdered. He didn't have to think twice before giving up his few days off and go to work.

By the time he arrived at the scene, the leading detective, a beautiful latino woman, was arguing with the D.A. From the distance, he couldn't quit figure out what it was about but it couldn't be good. He politely waited till the man was gone before he walked up to Detective Salas and asked her if everything was alright.

"Everything is fine" she said rather hesitant, something Horatio immediately picked up. Not only did he pick up the hesitance in her voice but the fact that she couldn't look him in the eye made him even more suspicious. He was worried for her, just as always and no matter how hard he tried to fight it, the feeling would always be there even if she wasn't in any immediate danger.

Yelina watched how carefully Horatio inspected the body and the possible surrounding evidence. "By the way, shouldn't you be at home?" She asked him rather playfully. One look said enough and she answered the question by herself "This was more important". Her answer made Horatio smile, she was right and they both knew it. That was one of the things he liked so much about her. With her, he didn't have to talk about how he felt or how much a case affected him, she would always know and would always be there for him.

"Yelina, what does the position of the body tell you?"

She looked confused at first "It looks familiar" Then she saw what he wanted her to see. "It's the second body we've found this way." Horatio nodded and said: " We could have a serial killer on our hands…"

Somewhere else another body was found. A rather young homeless man was found murdered between the garbage. A case assigned to Eric and Calleigh.

Eric opened the conversation with a nice " Hello" but Calleigh seemed to be to busy taking photographs to say hey back.

Something that happened more lately and honestly it irritated him.

Ever since the 'thing' with Eric's badge  the one night stand, Calleigh seemed a bit withdrawn. He had tried to talk about it with her a few times but she never seemed to want to make the time to listen. He couldn't really say why he felt such urge to explain everything maybe it was because he felt she looked at him differently. Not with a disgusted look but more with a disappointment look, like he failed her and at this stage he didn't know which one was worse.

Trying to make conversation after a long hour of silence, Eric spilled out his thoughts.:

"I think it's fair to say we can rule robbery out, I mean it's not like he had any money on him, or even at all." He said in a somewhat joking voice, which made Calleigh a little angry.

"So because he's homeless he couldn't have anything valuable. Is that what you're saying?" Surprised by Calleigh's heavy reaction he tried to talk himself out of it. "That's not what I meant. I just.. You know what forget it. I'll see you at the lab." Eric took some bags of evidence and walked away angry, bumping into Alex. "Easy, easy" But he didn't respond.

"What his problem?" She asked her colleague but al she did was lift her shoulders: meaning she didn't know. "Correct me if I'm wrong Calleigh but I'm sensing some tensions between the two of you."

Calleigh let out a big sigh. "You're not wrong Alex, it's just… Ow, I don't know…Ever since"

"Since the badge thing?"… A small smile appeared on Calleigh's face "Yeah.."

"Oh honey" Alex tried to 'comfort' her friend and rubbed her arm. Calleigh felt her eyes getting watery "It's okay" She said and she wanted to walk by Alex but she stopped her and said if she felt the need to talk, she knew her number.

"Thanks… Euhm I'm gonna take this to the lab and let you take care of the body"

Once in the car Calleigh thought how lucky she was to have such a good colleague and friend. It had been so many times she was able to go to Alex for comfort whenever Eric couldn't provide it or whenever she felt like it. She could really relay on her. With that thought she drove off to the lab.