Ah, yes. A breath of sweet HoratioYelinaStetler air. Yes, I'm alive and kicking with this. I might have a multi-chapter coming VERY soon, lovelies. Get ready- Shiny's got her shine about her again!

:stabs CBS: Stupid… Miami… writers…

Graceful Fire

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who forced me into that bed!" her voice spat as the doors opened to the crime lab.

His voice was dangerous. "I forced you? Listen, Yelina, I didn't do a damn thing!"

Heads turned and conversations were lowered as the detective and the Internal Affairs agent walked to the front desk, both seeking the same person. He was around, but he was busy with another work assignment. Although he could definitely hear the argument between both the man and his woman… He was ready to intervene at a moment's notice, prepared to do whatever it took to make sure he wouldn't hurt her.

After all, that's what his job was all about- protecting the innocent.

Yelina gave Rick a cold look before signing in with the front desk. "You don't remember anything from what we ever do, that's your problem. I try to remind you, but you don't like to try and recall what the hell actually happened! It's like you don't want to remember!"

"I try to!" he hissed. "Sorry for having hazy memory issues. I have short-term memory loss sometimes, Yelina! It's a fault of mine- deal with it!"

The couple glared at each for a long moment. The lieutenant took this opportunity to quietly slip into the room without so much as being noticed. The lab knew he was waiting. He was waiting for his chance for Stetler to make a mistake- to make one false move towards his sister-in-law. He watched with steady eyes, heartbeat beginning to slowly accelerate. It was coming. He could feel it.

The tension was rising.

Yelina gave a soft snort. "Rick, if this keeps up, I might have to go to Horatio for comfort. And I sincerely think that you don't want to lose your first girlfriend."

"I can just find another one!" Stetler replied, his hand twitching.

"And pick them up like prostitutes off the street? There's a comforting thought for you," she told him flatly. "Have sex with them all the time, unlike me, who wants it occasionally."

Stetler looked ready to burst. "Take that back," he snarled, his teeth clenched.

Yelina took a deep breath. "You know it's true, Rick."

Faster than anyone could blink, Stetler had taken his hand and slapped the woman right across the face. Horatio didn't even have time to react. The whole room was quiet now, say for the hum of the computer. The Internal Affairs agent's hand was still shaking, his voice dripping with hate. "You know nothing about what I want for you, Yelina. I want to give you the whole world. I want to give you my love. I want you to have everything, but you decide to accuse me of wanting only your children. That's the biggest piece of bullshit I have ever heard."

Her hand went up to her face and touched the spot lightly. Horatio moved forward ever so slightly, feeling his muscles tense. He was ready to pounce, if need be.

"I don't want you to have my children," she whispered back. "I just want your affection and nothing more."

Stetler raised his hand once more. "No good, worthless… I gave you everything! Everything!"

She shook her head, tears splashing down her front. "You gave me nothing, Rick!"

"You whore! You worthless…" He brought it back, not caring at the other people in the room, silently taking in this terrible verbal battle. He didn't care. It mattered to him no more. He wanted to hurt her. To make her suffer.

"You worthless…"

He suddenly felt a firm grip on his wrist and turned his head to see who had decided to interfere. His blood froze.

The python had struck. A lightning-fast lash of his arm and a flick of his wrist, and there was the protector, his eyes blazing with hellfire. It might've seemed that he was calm, but the entire room knew how calm felt when Horatio was around. This was rage beyond anyone's control. No one dared speaking to him in this state. In fact, no one had ever seen him like this.

Ever.

"She. Isn't. Worthless," he whispered.

Stetler's fist clenched. "What do you know about the two of us? How do you not see what she's really worth? Don't you get it, Horatio? Your sister-in-law isn't doing anyone any favors! Not you, not me… not your nephew!"

Horatio's hand tightened around the wrist, and Stetler was forced to unclench his fist. "You insult my nephew, you insult me. And by insulting me, you are really asking for something you might not be so willing to receive." The hand tightened even more, and the agent was sure his wrist was going to crack. He became even more sure when Horatio began pushing him backwards. "Listen to me, Rick. I swore that if you touched her again, I was going to kill you. I keep my promises. Always."

Stetler felt a ping of fear slap his heart. "What are you trying to say? Are you threatening me on duty?"

"You assaulted a police officer while on duty, Rick. That wouldn't look too good in the Bureau, would it?" Horatio gave a dangerous smile, his eyes narrowing. "Would it?"

If the IAB sergeant didn't know any better, he could have sworn Horatio was going to shoot him in cold blood. His hand was wavering dangerously near his holster.

"Okay, I get it. Fine."

Horatio's grip loosened only slightly, but at least it allowed the circulation to flow back into his wrists.

"I'm sorry, okay? Even I lose my temper sometimes!"

The lieutenant's hand stopped wavering towards the gun. It slowly progressed back to the side of his body, clenching into a fist. "No. You're not sorry."

'Damn, what does he want from me?'

Horatio had him up against a wall now. The room was tense, staring at the two enemies whose eyes were locked. Both men only focused on one thing- the adversary in front of them. All other sounds were blotted out, breathing slowed. Both beings noted the other sweating- one from what was now fear, the other from fury. It was a frightening scene. Yelina couldn't tell what was going to happen next from her position. She was just trying to get rid of the stinging feeling in her face.

Without warning, Horatio whipped out his gun and nuzzled it against Rick's neck. There was a collective gasp heard, and Horatio stared right into his foe's eyes. "You don't like this feeling, do you?"

Stetler gave a subtle shake of his head.

"Then I suggest you not touch her ever again if you don't want me to pull the trigger." His voice was loud enough for people to hear, but soft enough for Stetler to hear the raw threat in those words. "Do you understand?"

A subtle nod.

The gun was back in the holster, the hand still gripping the wrist. His voice was rough now. "She. Isn't. Worthless."

With that, he pushed Stetler into the wall hard and let go of the wrist, glaring at him and casting a look at Yelina. She turned away, closing her eyes and feeling tears trickle down her face once more. Horatio looked down at the floor, a saddening look unfurling on his features. He walked over to her and took her hand. She allowed him to do so, allowed him to guide her to another room.

The front area was silent as Stetler walked to the elevator and mashed the button with his thumb. He'd lost once more. He'd lost his temper again

But she would come back to him again. There was no doubt in his mind that she would.

And it mattered not if it was out of love or fear.

The point was she'd always come back to him.

Always.

OH YEAH, THAT FELT GOOD. :douses self in HYS: