Well I thought I'd give one more go. This is my most recent story I hope you enjoy it and please review, it feeds the bunnies.

Beta'd by Luci (ladybugkoozl). Many, many thanks Luci.

The characters you recognise belong to their creators and not me. I'm making no profit from this piece of fiction it is written purely for entertainment.

Heated

Chapter 1

I was sitting, with my back against something rough, my legs were tucked beneath me, that much I knew. I didn't want to open my eyes. Even the faint light filtering through my eyelids exacerbated the throbbing pain inside my head. I sat there for a moment willing the pain away. I lifted my left hand, intending to massage my forehead but stopped because my arm felt unusually heavy. My heart sank at the metallic chinking sound that accompanied the movement. Carefully I opened my eyes, focusing on the source of the sound. One half of a pair of handcuffs was fastened around my wrist. Its twin was looped through the end of a length of chain. I followed it with my eyes; the other end was attached to a very solid piece of lumber with a thick staple that had been hammered into the wood.

It was hot, humid, and I was extremely thirsty. Slowly, I took in the details of my surroundings. It was a fair sized shack with timber walls, dirt floor, and a tin roof. The door to my right stood slightly ajar, a shaft of light illuminating another slumped figure. I gasped and tried to leap to my feet. My legs were stiff, protesting the sudden movement. Dropping back down, I massaged the agonising pins and needles that afflicted me. I took the time to study his still form.

He had been fastened in a similar manner to me, but with a much shorter length of chain. His right hand was hanging level with his head, which lolled to his left. The light cut across his torso leaving his face in shadow, but I was comforted by the visible rise and fall of his chest. His jacket was missing and his deep blue shirt was torn down the right side. His legs were stretched out in front of him and there were some small tears in the right leg of his pants. The fabric had dark marks that worried me. He looked like he had been dragged.

I took a quick inventory of myself; evidently I was carried here a little more gently. Apart from the headache and dehydration, I seemed whole. The pins and needles in my legs had subsided so I stood up carefully. Stretched to my utmost, I could barely brush the sole of his shoe. I almost screamed in frustration.

"Horatio." I said tentatively. He didn't move.

"Horatio!" Receiving no response, I tried again to reach him. I managed to grab the toe of his shoe for a moment before the stretch in my shoulders became too painful. Furiously, I turned, bracing my feet against the wall. I grasped the chain in both hands, pulling with all my strength. Neither the staple nor the wood budged an inch. I aimed a kick at the post which did nothing except hurt my foot. Defeated, I slid down and resumed my previous position.

I watched as the shaft of sunlight withdrew slowly across the room. A breeze at the door made the dust mites dance in the sunbeam. Inside the shack, the air was still and stifling. I listened for quite awhile, hoping to pick up a clue to our whereabouts. I could hear insects, tall grasses and possibly running water, which only served to remind me how thirsty I was. A small grunt from across the room had me jerking on the end of my chain once more.

"Horatio, wake up, please god, please!"

I saw his head move upright and he winced as he opened his eyes. For a few moments, he seemed disorientated and ready pass out again. Eventually, he came back to his focused self and cast his gaze around the shack, assessing the situation.

"Hi" I said quietly when his eyes finally reached me.

He studied me for a moment. "You ok?" He whispered hoarsely.

"God Horatio, I'm fine, you're the one who looks like they were dragged through the everglades backwards."

He gave me one of his half smiles, "I feel how I look then." He gathered his feet beneath him and stood shakily. "Any ideas where the heck we are?" He asked, flexing and massaging his hand and wrist.

"Out of town I'd say" I said facetiously. He gave me a look that said it wasn't appreciated so I continued with a more serious tone. "I haven't seen or heard anyone. I think we're on our own."

He nodded, turning around and bracing himself against the wall to test the strength of the chain securing him. He gave a disgusted grunt at his failure to achieve any movement and turned slowly around, again taking in our salubrious lodgings. "Can you reach that bottle?" He asked, gesturing to the far end of the shack.

I cursed myself mentally. So much for my observational skills! I hadn't even noticed the uncapped two-litre bottle of what I hoped to god was water. I tried my stretching act again. Damn, who ever put us here was a son of a bitch. I couldn't reach the bottle and I couldn't reach Horatio. I wanted to cry with anger.

"Easy Cal, save your energy, sweetheart." He matched actions to words and sat back down, easing his long legs out in front of him. "Do you remember how we got here?"

I followed his lead and sat down as close to him as the chain would comfortably let me. "Let's see. My last memory before now is of waiting for you in the bar of the Agramont. I had a couple of drinks while I waited. A guy tried chatting me up, but I explained I was meeting someone. He apologised and left me alone."

"Did he buy you a drink?"

I coloured with embarrassment and looked at my shoes. "Yeah, he did. Damn, I thought I was smarter than that. He must have slipped something in it."

I knew I had been giddy with the anticipation of finally being on date with Horatio, but I made sure to keep an eye my drinks. I've investigated way too many cases of drink spiking. How could I not notice? I continued to internally curse my stupidity while I asked him, "What about you?"

"I remember getting out of the hummer in the parking lot and getting hit. I woke up in the trunk of a car... it was stationary... someone opened it, I think he hit me again, then..." His voice trailed off.

Still looking at my shoes, I prompted him. "And then?"

There was silence.