Chapter one
Horatio watched as Megan left the church and walked briskly towards her car. He saw diamond tear drops running down her flushed cheeks. Knowingly he stayed back; she didn't want him to see her so broken once again.
It had been over two months since her husband Sean had died. Horatio knew him to be a good man, caring and loving and very appreciative of his wife. It was in remembrance of him that she shed those tears, and in a moment of thought, he felt guilty for bringing her to his friend's funeral. She after all didn't even know Al, she only came because he asked her, and he felt completely responsible for her pain. He knew what she must be going through right now, replaying her husband's death in her head and seeing the funeral all over again.
'No one should go through that twice, no one. 'He thought 'at least not on their own.'
Horatio knew that the last thing she wanted right know was for him to see her in her weakened state. Yet watching the beautiful brown eyes fill with so much sadness made him feel worse then he already was. He himself had a hard time keeping his eyes dry when he watched the remains of his dear friend and mentor being carried out in a closed casket to the cemetery. He watched the burial, but then couldn't contain himself anymore and left with a brief explanation to Al's wife Felicia of a sudden duty call.
He felt his eyes go moist as he once again thought of Al as his old time friend, the man who taught him so much. He was gone now, gone just like his brother. Gone because of some crazy, murderous man, who wanted to bring justice to the eyes of the world on the bodies of innocent victims. They all were like that, he knew it well. All the killers had a reason for their crime. But sometimes the reason just wasn't enough.
He watched as Megan beeped the lock and got in the car. He knew he shouldn't let her go, not in her state. In her state she needed comfort, she needed someone there to watch out for her and catch her if she fell. Horatio couldn't admit to himself, but inside he knew it was what he needed as well. He walked quickly to her car, catching up just in time to catch the shutting door.
"Megan," he said unsure as to what else to say.
"Yes?" she asked, he watched her eyes resting firmly on the steering wheel. She didn't want to look at him.
"Um, I was just wondering, how you were holding up?" he asked her uncertainly, sure that she would start the car at any moment and drive away.
Megan finally had the strength to look at him. What she saw there, was pure pain, hurt, anger and out right misery, buried deep in a crystal blue depth of his eyes. She knew right then, that she not alone, not the only one who was going through this hell. This man so prone to hiding his emotions behind dark shades was openly in pain. Megan watched as a single tear rolled down his cheek, before she could stop herself, she reached out and brushed it away with the tips of her fingers. The touch bought a shock from within her heart to rise to her chest, her breath caught as she felt the undoubtful chemistry flow between them.
"I'm going home Horatio, but I don't wish to go alone, do you think you can join me for dinner tonight?" she asked, hope spilling from her every word.
Horatio gave her a gentle smile.
"I would love to."
Megan could not help but return the smile, she watched as his face cleared if just a bit and there was radiance once again in those deep blue pools.
"My place, in an hour." She stated before shutting the door and rolling the window down.
She started her car and within a moment she was gone.
Horatio watched her disappear in the distance.
"I'll be there." he whispered into the wind, before slipping on his shades.
Quietly he walked back to his hummer and drove off to his place.