Disclaimer: If you watch CSI:Miami carefully, you'll see the name Nora NOT included in the show credits. Neither does it appear on any of the scripts, books, or merchandise, or, for that matter, on any of the bank accounts where the money for said stuff goes. So what on earth would make you think I owned a single thing here? Still, sue me if you like, I crave the attention.
Pairing: If you watch CSI:Miami carefully, you'll notice your TV is threatening to burst into flames whenever H/C have one of their moments … It also does this whenever H/Y have one of THOSE moments, but for entirely different reasons. But in case you need it spelled out: You're now entering H/C zone!
Rating: PG-13, I think. Hey, what did you think the C in CSI stands for? If rating changes, I'll let you know.
Archive: Laeta, be my guest.
Warning: I know what you want. And you'll get it. But things like that take time to develop, so please don't hate me if I take my time getting them together. It might not start out like a steam train in full motion, but (just like a steam train) will gain momentum slowly but steadily.
Summary: "For all we know, it was someone in this building. Someone working at CSI."
Dedicated to the entire H/C Yahoo Group! I love you guys!
The Evil Within
Chapter 1: When caffeine fails to revive
When Calleigh entered CSI this morning, she was acutely aware of a subdued tension hanging in the air. It was nothing she could have put a finger on, nothing tangible – just the unquenchable feeling of something being amiss. The first thing she noticed to confirm this suspicion was Claudia not being on her place, leaving the reception desk unoccupied. In fact, the whole building seemed less occupied than was normal. Only a few lab techs were gathered in front of one of the interrogation rooms, looking pale. None of them was talking. When Calleigh passed them, bidding them a good morning, some muttered replies found their way to her, but no one seemed prepared to meet her eyes.
What was going on?
Confused, Calleigh decided to head straight to the break room for her usual early morning ritual of making coffee, before seeking out her colleagues to see if anything was going on she should be aware of. With the exception of Horatio, she was usually the first of the team to arrive in the mornings, and she had made it her business to provide the first dose of caffeine of the working day. The day had yet to come when Speed and Eric didn't gulp down a mug of the brown liquid as soon as they came in. They day had yet to come when they didn't look as if they really, really needed it, Calleigh thought with a private smile-
-which froze the instant she turned the corner.
Any actions related to brewing coffee would have to be postponed, she realized immediately.
At least she did no longer have to wonder about where everybody seemed to be today – because everybody seemed to be located right in front of her now.
There was a general bustle, people zooming in and out of the break room, wearing gloves and kits as if … as if they were processing a scene?
"Calleigh?"
Horatio made his way towards her. She had not even noticed him in her astonishment. Confused, she met his eyes. His expression was dead serious, but gave away nothing. Still the way his eyes glowed with suppressed anger was telling volumes. Something indeed was wrong.
"Horatio. What is going on?"
"We have …" he tilted his head, focusing on a spot near her shoulder, for some unfathomable reason avoiding eye contact, "… a situation."
"So I gathered," she informed him, all the while trying to look past him. Through the glass door she could see Tripp, wearing an unprecedented look of incredulity on his face. "What is going on?" She craned her neck to see what exactly was happening. "Are they taking the coffee pot away?"
"Who's taking the coffee pot away?" A slightly slurred voice came up behind Calleigh, belonging to one slightly disheveled Tim Speedle, whose question carried the faintest trace of panic. He was in the company of Eric, who managed to take in the scene around him with an expression ranging from sheer bewilderment to utter confusion in less than a second, before he decided to join the conversation.
"Hey H … What's the buzz?"
"Listen everyone, I want you in the conference room. I'll be there in a moment, but I can't leave this unsupervised right now. If IAB wants to talk to you, send them straight to me. Don't answer anything." Horatio's tone left no room for discussion.
"Sure thing," Eric conceded, and trotted off with Speed in tow. Calleigh made to follow them, but not without glancing at Horatio one more time. He only managed to hold her gaze for a second, before looking away again. He was concerned, she could tell.
But he was also deadly furious.
And why on earth would IAB be there?
~*~
"What was all that about?"
"Were they actually covering the break room like it was a scene?"
The team was gathered around the large table in the room used for meetings and briefings. While waiting for their boss to arrive, Speed and Eric could not resist going over the previous events. Both had chosen to lean on the wall opposite the entrance, their pointedly relaxed posture belying the serious undertones in their voices.
Calleigh had seated herself and stared at her friends and colleagues. They were right; the actions inside the break room had looked frighteningly similar to what would happen at a crime scene, once it had been discovered as such. But that did not make any sense.
"Why would IAB be here?" she asked, and got two elaborate shrugs in place of a reply. Speed gave an additional sigh and grabbed a chair next to her.
"This cannot be good," he stated the obvious.
Eric gave him a condescending look. "Thanks for mentioning it, you know, otherwise I would have thought they were preparing a party."
Before Speed got any chance of throwing back another rebuke, Calleigh intervened, "The way Horatio looked, we have trouble on our hands."
"Don't we always?" Speed asked, just as Horatio entered the room, holding the door open for Alexx and Detective Tripp. Obviously, he had overheard the last part of their musings.
"Not like this, gentlemen, not like this."
He positioned himself at the front of the table, but remained standing, while Alexx all but collapsed in the chair next to Calleigh, who immediately turned her attention to her friend. Alexx looked exhausted and … horrified? Calleigh could not quite identify the sentiment in her friend's eyes, but something had shocked her, that much was obvious.
"Alexx? What has happened?" she asked urgently, placing a hand on the ME's arm. Alexx just gave her a wary look and indicated Horatio, who was about to begin an explanation. His posture was taut and he avoided anyone's eyes. Somehow, seeing Horatio like this distressed Calleigh more than all the unexplained action back at the break room. This is serious his body-language indicated. Still, he did not say a thing.
"Would you like me to explain the circumstances?" Tripp asked from the back of the room, where he had unobtrusively positioned himself.
Horatio still failed to look up from the pencil he was holding and inspecting as if it was the most amazing thing and needed his full concentration. He barely raised his eyebrows. "No, thank you, but this is something I'll have to do," he declined quietly.
Calleigh felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her body. In the past few years, she had come to know Horatio to a degree that sometimes made observers wonder about their connection. Fact was, she could see through his calm exterior at most times, figuring out what went on inside of him. But today, this was not even necessary. His careful composure was as thin-layered as could be. And having a quietly shaking Alexx seated right next to her was doing nothing to improve the heavy feeling of foreboding she was experiencing.
As Horatio began at last his voice sounded unusually distant. "At 5 a.m. this morning, I was called in to a scene. There were several people injured, one of whom has died in the meantime."
He paused briefly. Speed, too agitated to be patient, jumped at his chance, asking, "Why didn't night shift cover that?"
Finally, Horatio raised his eyes. The look he gave Speed would certainly have scared the younger man to death, had the fury in his boss's eyes been directed at him. "Night shift was the scene."