Authors note: This one I made way back, it just took a while to get done, but I dedicate it to Emily that love DuCaine and PureJoy this one is specially for you :o)
DISCALIMER: I don't own CSI Miami or CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and i don't make any money from it.
BATTLEFIELD OF LOVE.
Chapter 1.
Horatio's eyes were resting on Calleigh's lower back as she was getting ready to shoot. As she took the gun in her hand his eyes travelled up her back, to her shoulders and then to her arms as she started to shoot.
Just then his phone started to ring and he went outside to take it and said: Horatio Caine.
"Hey Horatio, its Gil" said Grissom in the other end.
"Hey Gil, what can I do for you?" Horatio asked.
"I was wondering if you would mind me barrowing Calleigh" said Grissom.
"Why do you need a ballistic expert" said Horatio curiously.
"Well not exactly" Grissom admitted.
"Then what do you need her for?" Horatio asked.
"I need a break from Catherine, and to do that I need someone to take her place, so I thought of Calleigh" said Grissom.
"Why would you need to take a break from her I thought you were on good terms" said Horatio confused as his eyes rested on Calleigh examining the bullet.
"We are, but that's not the problem" said Grissom.
"Then what?" Horatio asked.
"It's complicated, so can I barrow her" said Grissom.
"Hmmm I dunno" said Horatio.
"She can do blood splatter analyzes can't she" said Grissom.
"Yes" said Horatio, even if it was not Calleigh's field she could do it.
"Then what is the problem" said Grissom.
Horatio was still watching Calleigh, she looked at him and smiled, he smiled back and said: "It's complicated, can Catherine do ballistics?"
"Yes" said Grissom.
"Ok, let's try it out and see how it goes" said Horatio finally.
"Thanks I'll send her over tomorrow" said Grissom and they hung up.
"How the heck am I going to explain this to Calleigh" Horatio thought and went back into her lab.
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Calleigh, do you have a moment?" Horatio asked.
"Uh huh" she said and looked up from the microscope.
"How would you feel about switching fields for a while?" said Horatio.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well you know Grissom, he wanted to barrow you in exchange for Catherine" said Horatio honest.
"Why she's his second in command" said Calleigh.
"I dunno the details, but will you do it" said Horatio.
"I guess" she said a bit annoyed he hadn't asked her before deciding.
"Thanks I'll let you stay in any hotel you want" said Horatio.
"Not necessary, I think I can find a place to stay no coast" said Calleigh.
"How?" Horatio asked.
"I got friends in the Las Vegas Crime Lab too" she said.
"You're gonna stay with one of the boys" he said shocked, he didn't like that idea.
"It was your call to send me over, not mine, and where I choose to stay is up to me, now if you will excuse me I have work to do" she said.
He just nodded and left.
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A moment after he had left, Calleigh picked up the phone and called Catherine.
"Hey Calleigh" said Catherine in the other end.
"Hey Cath, so I hear we are changing labs, any idea why?" asked Calleigh.
"Not a clue" said Catherine.
"I was wondering can I stay at your place while I'm there since I hate hotels" said Calleigh.
"If you let me barrow your place" said Catherine.
"Of course and will you feed my cat while I'm gone?" said Calleigh.
"If you keep your eye on my wild daughter" said Catherine.
"Deal, how old is she now?" asked Calleigh.
"17" said Catherine with a sigh.
"A lot to handle huh, I'll leave the key in the reception" said Calleigh.
"Yes and I'll do the same, anything I should know about Horatio?" Catherine asked.
"Nah not as I can think of what about Grissom" said Calleigh.
"Lives in his office other than that not much" said Catherine.
"Then we'll get along just fine I think, and Catherine no messing with my guns" said Calleigh.
"If you don't mess with my lab, I won't mess with yours" said Catherine.
"Deal, but I gotto go, talk to you later this week to see how things goes" said Calleigh and hung up.
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The next day Calleigh arrived at the Las Vegas Crime Lab at around 3PM the next day and went to the reception to pick up the key.
"Hey can I help you with something" she heard a man's voice say. She got the key and turned around and saw a handsome man with dark hair and said: "No I'm good, just here to pick up a key, I'm Calleigh Duquesne."
He shook her hand and said: "Nick Stokes, wanna see the lab or are you in a hurry."
"No not in a hurry so ok" she said and followed him.
"So you're into firearms after what I hear" said Nick.
"Yes" she said.
"Let me show you our ballistic lab first then" he said and led the way. She took a look around and said: "Mine is better, but this one is fine to."
"If you go through here you get to the garage and this one leads to the fingerprint lab" said Nick as they went inside and found Warrick.
"Oh hey Calleigh, did you have a nice flight" he said.
"Ok, so how have you been?" she asked.
"You know ups and downs, so where are you staying" he replied.
"Catherine's" she said.
"So have you meet Greg yet?" Warrick asked.
"No, we're on out way over" said Nick.
"Bet he'll like you, you two are almost the same age too" said Warrick.
"Hey why don't we all go out tonight" said Nick.
"Sure why not" said Calleigh.
"See you later then" said Nick as they walked on.
"Yeah let me know where and when" said Warrick.
They heard loud music from the DNA lab and Calleigh saw a young man dancing around smiling.
They entered and Nick yelled: "Greg would you turn that down for a second."
Greg turned it down, looked at them and said: "So who's your date, she's hot."
"Greg Sanders meet Calleigh Duquesne" said Nick and they shook hands.
"So you're the one filling in for Catherine. Cool wanna dance" said Greg and turned on the music. Calleigh giggled and took his hand. Nick watched them and wondered if she was taken or not.
At that moment Grissom came in and yelled: Greg would you turn that down, I'm trying to work and what did I say about dates in the lab.
"Grissom, she's not my date, it's Calleigh" said Greg and turned the music down.
"Oh sorry, hey Calleigh, I'm Gil" said Grissom she wasn't at all like he expected.
"Hello, so do I have an office?" she asked.
"Yes follow me" he said.
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Then Grissom showed her the rest of the lab and her office before they sat down in his. Calleigh looked around on all the jars with different bugs all over his office, there was also shelves with different books and pictures. Grissom watched as her eyes wandered around the room with great interest.
"Do you like bugs?" he asked.
"Not all" she admitted.
He opened one if the glass cages, took out a tarantula and handed it to her. She let it crawl from her hand until is sat down on her shoulder. Grissom watched with amazement, most wimen would be terrified but she just let the spider sit there like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"So do you have a place to stay?" he asked.
"Yes" she replied.
"So what do you think about my guys" he said.
"Too early to tell, but they seem nice, they are taking me out tonight" she said.
"Hmmm, aren't they suppose to work tonight, didn't Horatio tell you, you are working the grave yard shift here" said Grissom.
"No, then why are you guys here this time of day" she said since the grave yard shift didn't start until midnight.
"Important case that needs to be solved, tell you what I'll late you all take the night if since I have a feeling the case is in it's final state, but tomorrow you are working" said Grissom.
"Deal, I better go and get settled, see you" said Calleigh and handed him the tarantula back before she left.
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As she parked outside Catherine's house she was wondering why no one had told her it was the grave yard shift, she sighed and figure she would get used to it in time.
She opened the door and got inside and found Lindsey watching TV with some friends.
Lindsey looked at Calleigh. She bet she was in her early thirties, wearing a white suit, her hair in a ponytail, badge on her belt, and holster with a gun on her hip, she looked confused.
"Guys time to leave, see you tomorrow ok" said Lindsey and they left.
She walked over, shook hands with Calleigh and said: "Lindsey Willows so welcome to Vegas."
"Calleigh Duquesne and thanks" said Calleigh and looked around the living room it was clean except for the area around the sofa and the TV where there was clothes, soda cans and snacks all over.
"So have you seen any of Vegas yet or just the lab?" Lindsey asked.
"The lab and some when I drove over, the boys are taking me out tonight" said Calleigh.
"Oh Grissom is giving them the night of, that must be the first, and if Greg is going you'll end up at some place fun I bet, let me show you your room" said Lindsey.
"You grew up with the guy's right" said Calleigh and followed her upstairs.
"Kinda, Grissom is a workaholic and he loves bugs but I guess you seen that and mum is his second in command. Warrick is really nice, I think he had a thing for mum, dunno if it went both ways, but he just got divorced. Nick is a sensitive guy, but he's funny, caring and handsome to, and Greg's the clown of the lab, full of pranks, never know what he'll do. Here's your room" said Lindsey and opened the door to Catherine's room.
Calleigh looked around a king size bed with a nightstand on the left, three closets, a dresser with a mirror and some pictured of her and Lindsey on the top of a small gun locker.
Lindsey looked at Calleigh, she looked confused and Lindsey said: "You're wondering where the pictures of dad is right, he died a while back and mum can't look at his pictures."
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know" said Calleigh wondering why Catherine had never told her since she known her for 8 years.
"No worries, so are you hungry" said Lindsey.
"Yes" said Calleigh.
"I'll order something then, so what do you like?" Lindsey asked.
"Pretty much everything" said Calleigh.
"It's pizza ok" said Lindsey.
Calleigh nodded and said: I'll let you unpack and call you when the pizza is here.
Then she left and Calleigh found her phone and wrote a couple of messages before she unpacked.
TEXT: Horatio why didn't you tell me I was working nightshift, you know I'm a morning person. Calleigh.
TEXT: Hey Catherine, got here ok. Grissom seems nice and already meet his tarantula, nice little guy. Going out with the guys tonight and Lindsey gave me a warm welcome. Calleigh.
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At the same tie Catherine arrived at the Miami Dade Crime Lab and went to the reception to get Calleigh's keys.
"Hey Catherine" she heard Eric say.
"Oh hey Eric, how are things?" she replied.
"Just fine, so you'll be stepping in for Calleigh" he said.
"Yes" she said.
"Must be like a vacation for you, even got a babysitter" Eric joked.
"Yeah, hope Linds doesn't give Calleigh a hard time, she's a bit wild and does what she please" said Catherine with a sigh.
"Calleigh will be just fine, and maybe even manage to turn Lindsey around" said Eric.
"That would have been nice, sow where is the rest" said Catherine.
"Around, I think H is out, but I'll introduce you to the rest" said Eric and they walked into the DNA lab where they found Natalia and Ryan joking about something.
"Nat, Ryan, meet Catherine Willows, she's filling in for Calleigh, Catherine Ryan Wolfe and Natalia Boa Vista" said Eric.
They shook hands and Ryan said: "So what do you do to be sent over here?"
"I dunno, Grissom have been weird lately" said Catherine.ยจ
"Oh so I take it you have seen the lab" said Natalia.
"No, so when is my shifts here, I'm used to nights" said Catherine.
"Dayshift and I'll show you around" said Eric and they left.
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About an hour later Catherine opened the door to Calleigh's apartment. She had hardly gotten inside before a black cat with a white spot under the chin came running and wanted to cuddle.
Catherine lifted up the cat, it had a pink collar with diamond guns and said: "Jelly belly."
"Your mother must love you a lot to give you a collar with real diamonds" said Catherine and pet the cat.
The cat purred happily as Catherine carried it into the living room it was small, but homey, a book shelf, a coach in front of the TV set, the kitchen and living room was separated by an island, it was all in perfect order except the cat toys that lay all over the floor.
Catherine walked into the bedroom and saw a king-size bed neatly made, a huge pink gun locker and a smaller white one right next to it, four closets on one wall and a dresser on the other. She looked at the pictures, it was Calleigh and the guys at the lab, and one she assumed was her father.
The only one that she didn't see a picture of was Horatio, but she figured since he was her boss she probably didn't hand out with him on her spare time.
The cat jumped up in her bed and lay down on one of the pillows and since Catherine didn't see a cat bed she assumed she slept with Calleigh.
"No boyfriend huh, just you and her" said Catherine to the cat.
"Miau" said Jelly belly.
"And no children" said Catherine.
"Miau" said Jelly belly.
"What a strange name for a cat" Catherine thought and took up her phone to replay on Calleigh's message and send Grissom one to.
TEXT: Hey Calleigh, all settled at your place, does Jelly belly share bed with you? So you meet Grissom's favourite guy, and he gave the guys the night of to, that has never happened before, tell Linds hey for me. Cath.
TEXT: So I hear you are giving the guys the night of Gil, you're not softening up are you? Cath.
TEXT: You just have to sleep at days instead now won't you and I'm sure you will manage just fine, just make sure to have enough coffee around. H.
TEXT: I guess, it will just take some time to get used to. Cal.
TEXT: My Babygirl shares bed with me and Lindsey says hey back. Cal.
TEXT: I'm not softening up, I just thought it would be nice if they showed her the city from it's best side at night, so how's Miami? Gil.
TEXT: I see, Miami is fine. I'm sharing bed with her cat, would you believe it has a collar in real diamonds, was thinking out checking out the nightlife. Cath.
TEXT: Real diamonds huh, guess someone loves their cat, so are you missing Linds yet? Gil.
TEXT: I believe she does, not yet, heavenly to not fight with anyone, but I gotto unpack so have a nice week. Cath.
TEXT: You to and have fun out tonight. Gil.
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"Lindsey didn't I tell you to clean up the living room, the guys will be here any second" said Calleigh.
"Uhm sorry I'll do it now" said Lindsey and carried some of her stuff upstairs and the rest into the kitchen.
"That's better, so are ya joining us? Calleigh asked.
"Just for a while, going over to Kenan to hang out with him and some friends" said Lindsey.
"I see, but I don't want you to stay out late since you have school tomorrow" said Calleigh just as the doorbell rang and she let the guys in.
"You didn't bring Grissom" said Calleigh.
"No, he never goes out" said Nick.
"I guess I'll be changing that" said Calleigh.
"Hey Linds how are things" said Greg and smiled at her.
"Fine thanks, what about you?" she replied and smiled back.
"Much work, so are you seeing anyone?" he asked curiously.
"Greg, she's way to young for ya, oh hey Gil, I was wondering if ya like to go out with us" said Calleigh.
"Thanks for asking, but I think I'll pass" said Grissom.
"Oh come on, I think it will be fun" said Calleigh.
"Not at the moment" said Lindsey since she wasn't.
"It's a shame, pretty girl like you shouldn't be single" said Greg in a flirty way.
"I dunno, aren't I to old to be going out at the places you are going to" said Grissom.
Lindsey blushed and Calleigh said: Please Gil, just this once and Greg what did I just tell you and Lindsey you know what your mother would say to that.
"Though since she's not here and you can't tell me what to do and I do whatever I want with whoever I want" said Lindsey and started to make out with Greg at the same tie Calleigh heard glass brake in the kitchen.
"LINDSEY, GREG, STOP THAT AT ONCE AND WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OVER THERE" Calleigh yelled angrily before the line went dead.
"What the hell" Grissom thought and figured he better get over there.
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One moment later Grissom walked over to Catherine's living room and found Calleigh, Nick, Warrick and Greg drinking beer and talking.
"What happened?" Grissom asked confused.
"Greg thought it was a good idea to make out with Lindsey and we broke some plates by accident" said Nick.
"You did what and were is she now?" asked Grissom and looked at Greg.
"Well she's cute and she threw her self at me" said Greg.
"No worries, he won't do it again I made sure of that and she's grounded" said Calleigh even if she has a feeling that Lindsey would sneaked out.
"Impressive" said Grissom.
"So want a beer" said Calleigh.
"Sure, since you got me here" said Grissom.
"Just that is a miracle" said Nick.
"Cheers to changes" said Calleigh smiling. She got the feeling she would have lots of fun in Vegas.
Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)