A/N: Setting the scene—I used the scene in the lab on the last show, with a slight variation, but in my story the lab is not shutting down or changing in any way. Horatio and Calleigh are still in the pre-relationship days, but things may change in the romance department. I hope everyone enjoys!
Eva La Rue, a.k.a Natalia, announced on Twitter a parody that was made about the show being axed…it is good, she was right! On YouTube search, "goodbye CSI: Miami." Set to Elton John's Candle in the Wind.
The Dark Hole
Standing in the lab across the hall, Calleigh watched Horatio tell Samantha to leave, feeling sad for the young girl because she was a bright, upcoming CSI until she made a horrible mistake and then tried to hide it and the worst of all, incriminate Ryan with the outcome. Then her eyes fell on her handsome Lieutenant, knowing he was terribly hurt by the whole thing, but she jumped and let out a loud gasp when she saw him suddenly rake the counter clean of glass beakers and tubes full of now worthless evidence.
She began slowly walking toward the door, debating with herself whether she should go to him and offer comfort, but before she could step out into the hall, Horatio momentarily stopped and looked into her eyes then stormed out past her, and she knew she had to just let him go. She saw him go to the elevator and punch the down button, which told her he was leaving. They only had an hour before their shift ended anyway and she could fill in for him. She reached for the phone to call maintenance to come clean up the debris in the lab, hopefully they could before anyone else saw it and began asking questions.
As Calleigh left the lab, she had already made up her mind to go find out where Horatio had gone to knowing he would be better off talking to someone about it all, but she knew she would have a difficult time persuading him to believe that. She first drove to his favorite spot where he always went when life closed in on him; it was a deserted stretch of beach that was not the most appealing for the water crowd and she had often found him there when he was upset. She was the only member of the team who he let know where he went to escape and it had always made her feel special that he felt secure enough with her to reveal one of his secrets. This time he broke his routine, she did not see his car anywhere around. After turning her car around, her second choice was to go to his house.
Driving up to the security gate, she punched in the code and drove through the open gates into Horatio's neighborhood; after a couple of blocks, she pulled into his driveway behind his car, which she thought odd that he had left it out of the enclosed garage. Locking her car, she walked to the door and rang the bell. No answer.
"Horatio, its Calleigh. I just thought you might like to talk." She patiently waited, but no response.
"Horatio, I know you are home and I am not leaving. If you don't open this door, I will use the key you gave me in case of an emergency…either way, I'm coming in." Still no response…now she was beginning to get a little concerned that something might be wrong so, she thought that would fall in the emergency category. Locating his key on her key-ring, she turned the lock and opened the door, mindful of disarming the security system. She smiled as the code was the date she began working at the lab. She often wondered why he chose that as his code. When she looked at the alarm keypad, she saw that it was not even on. Horatio…how could you be so careless!
The light from the kitchen enabled her to look around the beautiful living room and she did not see Horatio so she stepped into the kitchen and he was not there either. She took note that his kitchen seemed to be well stocked with all the right kitchenware. As she made her way down the hall toward the bedrooms, she noticed one door ajar as she slowly placed her hand on her holstered Colt .45, just in case. Pushing the door open more she almost gasped aloud. The warmly decorated bedroom was definitely masculine and the king sized bed was not even crowding the room. She saw his suit butler against one wall, but his suit coat was thrown across the bed haphazardly. He keeps his house just as impeccable as he does his person! His jacket is the only thing in the entire house out of place!
Calleigh called softly, "Horatio, its Calleigh. Are you in the bath?" No answer. She did not hear water running so she nervously and slowly walked to the open door and repeated her hello. Nothing. Now she was perplexed, where is he?
Her last hope was to walk out on the patio and look around the back of the house then she saw him sitting out on the beach, in the sand near the water, still in his good slacks and shirt. She reached for the knob on the French door and found it unlocked, shaking her head in disbelief. Locking the door behind her, she began walking toward the solitary figure. As she got closer, she noticed he was drinking something…then she saw the bottle. Oh Horatio, my love.
Calleigh eased down beside him and wrapped her arm around his back and leaned into his side. "Oh Horatio, I have never seen you so upset that you would resort to this. I am here Handsome, let me help."
Horatio turned and searched her eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry Calleigh…I…am sorry…you have to see me…like this and saw me lose my cool at the lab. That was a very childish act on my part. Everything is gone Sweetheart…everything you and I, and everyone on the team have worked so hard for all these years is down the tubes…. Some leader I turned out to be."
Calleigh, already detecting the slurring in his speech, sharply replied, "Horatio Caine, you are a great leader of the team and you always have been. These recent events are a serious blow, but we have overcome a lot of obstacles through the years and we can overcome this one! Don't give up on us Handsome…we are a team and we are there for you and will do whatever it takes to make everything right, ok?"
Horatio was silent for several moments, then he began to lift the bottle to take another swig and Calleigh stopped his arm in mid-air and said, "I think half a bottle of bourbon is quite enough, Handsome." She took hold of the bottle and he let her take it from his hand.
Horatio then hung his head before looking up into her eyes and said, "Cal…the worst outcome of all of this is the fact that Esteban Navarro is going to be released because the evidence against him can be shown to be compromised. All the effort to get him behind bars was for nothing. Now, it will be even harder to get him back. I thought I would have a difficult time enough just getting his grandmother. Now…."
"Handsome…WE will get him back somehow and his evil grandmother."
They continued to sit and stare out over the water with the sun setting in the west behind them. Calleigh still had her arm around Horatio and after they had stopped talking, she felt the weight of his body sag slightly into hers and was at least glad she had gotten through some of those stubborn restrictions he placed on himself.
She had no idea how long they sat there, but the wind had begun to pick up and she noticed what looked like an evening storm brewing out over the water and knew she had better start trying to get Horatio back to his house. She continued holding him, but turned and looked at his face and noticed a tear had made its way down his cheek. Instinctively reaching out and wiping the side of his face, he slowly turned at her tender touch and for the first time in a while spoke softly.
"Thank you Calleigh…you…have saved me once again, you are always near when I need someone." Then to her shock and amazement he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. With that innocent motion of thanks, Calleigh suddenly couldn't find her breath.
They locked eyes momentarily and she finally managed to say, "Handsome…we need to get you back to your house before that storm gets here."
Horatio turned to his left and braced his hand in the sand to help push himself to his knees, suddenly feeling the effects of the bourbon. He stayed on his knees for a minute or two before attempting to try to get on his feet. Calleigh had taken one of his arms to help him, but he told her not to try that he was too heavy for her to try to lift. He struggled, but finally managed to stand up then the dizziness hit and he was terrified that he would fall flat on his face until Calleigh noticed his unsteadiness and wrapped her arm around his waist and told him to just lean on her. She was accustomed to handling drunken men because of constantly having to go retrieve her father from the bars.
"C'mon Handsome…you are not accustomed to the effects of the strong drink, thank goodness!"
Horatio braced against his house with one hand, while his other arm stayed around Calleigh as she unlocked the door with one hand, needing to continue to have her other wrapped around Horatio's waist just to keep him from tottering over.
Calleigh walked him straight to his bedroom and as they reached the bed she stopped, still holding on to him with one arm around his waist she began fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.
Momentarily confused by her actions, Horatio stammered, "Cal…Sweetheart…what are…you doing?"
Calleigh giggled and replied, "Don't worry Lieutenant I'm not taking advantage of your condition…I just think you will sleep better without this shirt binding all night is all."
He attempted to help her, but she playfully swatted his hand away and told him to just keep concentrating on staying upright. Then he froze when she began working to unbuckle his belt.
"Umm….Sweetheart…don't you think…I'd…I'd better do that? Cal…?" Before he knew it she had undone his belt and began unbuttoning his pants.
"No…I'll…do that Cal! Please…" He pleaded as he grabbed her hand to stop her. Even through the stupor of alcohol he could feel his body responding to her actions and he would be embarrassed for her to see the evidence.
"Suit yourself Handsome, but I'm still going to have to hold you while you do it, or you could undo your pants and then lay back on the bed and I will pull them off," Calleigh smiled, enjoying his uneasiness. About time you get over your shyness with me, she thought, after all, I was raised with three brothers and I'm not exactly innocent Handsome.
Horatio thought about his two options and decided he was in a mess, but all he wanted to do was get in that bed before he passed out and he felt that wasn't going to be long happening.
Finally he managed to say, "Whatever…way…works for you. I…I…just want to lie down."
Calleigh eased him down on the bed and gently pushed him down on his back. Then she proceeded to unbutton and unzip his pants while he watched her and inwardly smiled. She pulled them off from the bottom and went around to the side of the bed and managed to roll him over on his side to pull down the covers and then lay him back down and pull them out from under him and tuck him in.
He smiled at her and said, "You seem to have mastered this…procedure."
Calleigh smiled in return and just said, "As many times as I have had to do this for my father, I should have it down. Now you go to sleep and I am going to try and locate a bottle of aspirin and get a glass of water…you will thank me when you wake up and you feel as if your head is going to explode."
Horatio reached out and took her hand…"Stay with me…please? Storm sounds heavy…I don't want you…to go home…in heavy rain."
"I guess I can sleep in one of your spare bedrooms…you wouldn't mind?"
"I would mind…Sweetheart. I was talking about…here…I'll behave," he said smiling tenderly as he patted the bed beside him.
Calleigh was speechless…Could he be so drunk he doesn't comprehend what he is saying? Only in my dreams have I envisioned myself lying down beside him in his bed, but under totally different circumstances. Well, I will keep my clothes on…what will it hurt?
"You go to sleep and I'll be back…I'll be here for you Handsome."
Calleigh found the aspirin in his bathroom medicine cabinet and after raiding his refrigerator for something to eat, as she was famished, she was pleasantly surprised to find a wonderful pasta salad already made, and a bottle of chilled Chardonnay.
Having eaten her meal, she made a mental note to ask where he had bought such a delicious salad. She walked back to his bedroom and lay down beside her Handsome and listened to the roll of thunder and the rain beating against the windows, then rolled toward him and just watched him sleep.
TBC…