Chapter One

I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope
I'll be your love
Be everything that you need.
I love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do.

Truly Madly Deeply – Savage Garden

"We are here today to celebrate the marriage of Marisol Delko and Horatio Caine." The priest's voice pierced the silence of the near empty church. Standing on the left side of the alter I let my gaze shift slowly to the rest of the family in the pews next to me. Calleigh Duquesne winked at me before letting her eyes rest on the couple at the front. A small cooing noise erupted from somewhere near Alexx, grinned at her full hands before letting my own eyes linger on the restless image of Tim Speedle. I watched as she pulled at his ties and collar clambering for air against the heat that was encasing the church. He looked good in a suit. A small smile crossed my lips as his gorgeous chocolate eyes fell on mine. He shifted uncomfortably before paying attention to the priest at the front. I zoned back in to hear the priest's final words.

"You may kiss the bride."

The sun was beating down on me, the heat hitting me in waves as we stepped out of the church and into the fresh essence of the day.

"I am never going to used to this heat." I told Tim, taking off my black suit jacket, and stuffing it into my bag. I looked up in time to see him slip his tie into the pocket of his suit jacket and unbutton the top buttons of his shirt, revealing a small expanse of his finely sculptured chest. Tim caught me staring and broke into a playful smile, his mouth going to my ear. His hot moist breath caused me to repress a shiver of pleasure.

"If you can't repress your urges, maybe we should get of here and attend to them." He murmured nuzzling my neck. I pulled away shooting him a mock glare and punching him in the arm.

"My wild urges?" I snorted. "What about you in the Trace Lab the other day? You think I don't remember you pleading, begging me to take an early lunch so that…"

"We could work on a case." He interrupted, as Horatio drifted past with Marisol on his arm in the direction of Alexx. I shook my head.

"He isn't going to care you know." I scowled at Tim. He shrugged.

"I just don't want him thinking we skive off work all the time to have sex." Tim countered watching people as they walked along the sidewalk. I rolled my eyes.

"We're hard working professionals, he knows that. Besides it's not like anyone's caught us making out in the Trace Lab, at work we're colleagues, at home we're…well more than that." I said folding my arms over my chest.

"I know that." He said watching Delko approach us with a writhing bundle of clothes.

"I think Ollie wants to say hi to his godfather." Delko said handing the wriggling creature to Tim who took him gladly. Horatio had asked Tim to be the godfather to his new born child last month. After five minutes of attempting to change Horatio's mind, Tim finally gave up and accepted the privilege.

"Would you mind looking after him for a few minutes for photographs?"

"Sure." Tim spoke quietly, his dark eyes fastened on Oliver who was making a desperate bid to grab one of his curly dark locks. Tim dodged the tiny hands and held Ollie up high.

"Nice try little guy but I'm a little too fast for you." He said as Horatio's watery blue eyes blinked back at him.

"He looks a lot like his Dad doesn't he?" I said smiling at Oliver over Tim's shoulder. The child was only two months old and he was starting to shape into his old man. Tim nodded putting Oliver over his shoulder and jiggling him a little. I watched as Marisol and Eric stood together as the photographer caught their picture. My eyes focused on something in the distance. A car parked there unmoving, light reflected off one of its windows and into my eyes, blinding me temporally. Ignoring the growing feeling of unease in the pit of my stomach, I moved towards Calleigh and Alexx as they broke away from Ryan and Horatio. Alexx was frowning.

"I can't believe they were testing me." Alexx said shaking her head as she stepped away with Calleigh. Instantly I knew what she was talking about, Ryan had pulled the same trick on me a few weeks ago. There was pressure on the lab to uncover the mole. Ryan was apparently Horatio's choice of warrior. He'd pretty much crossed me off the list of potential suspects when he told me that the infection in his eye wasn't clearing up and there was a very real possibility that he could go blind. As it turns out that was just a ruse to see if I was the mole. I'd proved myself able to keep the false secret hence proving my own innocence, which was god to know. I did know what Alexx meant though, it hurt to think that someone you trusted thought that maybe they couldn't trust you, at the same time I'd already taken into account it was a matter of procedure. Ryan was in a difficult position which wasn't being made any better by the secrets that were getting leaked. There was a distinct feeling of mistrust though in the lab. People kept the details of their cases and even their personal lives close to their chests. Only our immediate circle knew about me and Tim for sure, the rest was just gossip.

I turned my head to keep an eye on Tim; he has Oliver in his arms, watching his face as he showed Oliver some flowers made a burst of warmth run though me. He'd be a great father one day.

"Thinking about having anymore?" I found myself next to Marisol. I blushed a little at her words.

"Maybe one day." I said thoughtfully. "Congratulations with the wedding, you look really beautiful."

Marisol grinned at my words, bowing her head and fiddling with her corsage.

"You know, I seriously don't know what I would of done without you all these past months Eva." Marisol said looking at Horatio as him and Eric posed for shot.

"These past months have been hard on all of us but we've all come out fine." I assured her, my eyes were on her face. Something was wrong, I could tell in the way she was looking at the ground.

"We've still got a ways to go though." she said looking into the distance. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"The business with the Mala Noche is bothering you isn't it?" I asked her as soon as it dawned on me.

"Horatio's put police protection on both me and Oliver, but I'm worried about him." She confessed.

"If anyone can handle this, it's Horatio; he's got the whole team watching his back." I tried to reassure her. Marisol's eyes met mine.

"But whose got yours?" she asked quietly. I searched her face knowingly.

"The team takes care of each other. It's a family." I replied softly. She nodded folding her arms over her chest.

"I just don't want to see any one get hurt." She confessed sadly, wrapping her arms around herself.

"And you won't." I told her. Little did I know how accurate those words really were.

Speedle

"So when you going to ask Eva?" Delko's voice pierced the happy bubble that I'd been wrapped in with Oliver. My eyes still on Oliver I responded with confusion to Delko's question.

"Ask Eva what?" I said suspiciously, glancing at him. He reached out for Oliver, I gratefully handed him over, and little did Uncle Delko know that Oliver had just left a nice little present for him to clean up in the nappy. I chuckled to myself for a second.

"You know "pop the question"." He said not looking at me. I felt my mouth go dry.

"Isn't it a little early for that?" I snapped, a well of panic built in my chest.

"You've been dating about the same amount of time it took to make this little guy." Delko said bouncing Ollie a little. I felt my arms cross over my chest defensive.

"I don't even think Eva wants to get married." I told him frowning.

"How do you know if you haven't asked her?" Delko shot back. Good question.

"Hey get your own relationship." I growled. Delko laughed, and then caught a whiff from the smell that was coming from Oliver's nappy. He held Oliver up sniffing at him.

"Man that's as worse than decomp." Delko complained. I smirked in his direction. "Time to take you to you mother"

I watched as Delko moved over to the direction of Eva. My eyes fell on her deep in conversation with Marisol.

Did she want to get married? Should I approach her about it or not. Shaking my head I cursed Delko for putting these thoughts in motion.