Chapter 1

"Every time we work together I find another reason not to trust you." Calleigh didn't even give him a chance to response. She just turned and walked away leaving Peter behind with a dumb look on his face.

She mentally kicked her own ass. She let her guard down and allowed him into her heart and he did what every guy before him had done. He blindsided her with charm and then showed his true colors once he gained her trust.

She entered the locker room, which was blissfully unoccupied and sat down on the bench in front of her locker but made no attempt to open it.

"How could I be so stupid?" She shouted as she punched her locker. Metal vibrations filled the small room. When the noise died down, she heard the quite clearing of a mans' throat.

'Horatio.' Her body relaxed immediately but she still didn't sit up.

"I made a new discovery." She spoke, still looking at the ground.

"Oh really?" It was more of a statement than a question but the effect was just the same. "And what would this be?"

"I discovered that hitting your locker doesn't make you feel any better." She finally sat up straight and rubbed her hand. The bruise was going to be a bitch tomorrow.

Horatio tried not to laugh as he came and sat down next to her on the bench. He took her hand in his and then brought it up to his lips, where he placed an ever so soft kiss on her knuckles.

"There, all better." She looked up and him and gave him a pouty smile.

"Thank you." He nodded in response.

"Now, you want to tell me why you had to try that little experiment?" Calleigh sighed and took her hand off her head.

"It's a long story." She waved it off but he persisted.

"I've got time." He stood up and offered her a hand. She hesitated. "Come on, let's go get some dinner. You can tell me everything while we eat." Seeing no way out of it, she allowed let him to help her up.

"Fine, but you're paying."

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Horatio took her to a little beach side hut with picnic tables and a thatched roof. They sat at one of the tables over looking the water.

"I think you left a dent in your locker door." He said over his iced tea.

"I think I dented my hand too." She groused before taking a sip of sweet tea.

"You're lucky you only got a bruise. What would possess you to do that in the first place?" She shrugged.

"I don't know. I just had such a crappy day and what that jerk did was just the last straw. I mean, I should have known better than to let him in because over and over again I end up in these relationships that are completely lacking in trust and respect. Men think they can walk all over me and they do." She exclaimed.

Horatio got the feeling that this was something that had been going on for awhile and whatever happened today was just the straw that broke the camels back.

"So who do I need to teach a lesson?" He asked only half joking.

"Treasury agent Peter Elliot. He's just like every other fed: a sweet talker, irrestiably if not annoyingly charming and a liar…well, maybe not a liar but defiantly deceitful." She twirled her straw in her drink.

"He was perfectly wonderful until I found out he's engaged to the states attorney. He hurt me more than I'd like to admit and it's all because of John Hagen." Calleigh could have spit bullets when Peter told her what John did.

"Hagen?" Horatio looked at her oddly. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"John told Peter we were getting married, he even showed him a ring! I didn't find out about it until after Hagen died. God I was furious though. What made him think he could do that?" She vented. She then rested her head in her hands and looked right at him.

"Horatio, if I ask you a question, will you answer me honestly?" She stared, blues eyes to blue eyes.

"Have I ever lied to you?" She shook her head and took a deep breath.

"Is there something wrong with me? Am I not attractive to good guys?" He was taken aback.

"No! Why would you even think that?" He was almost hurt by the thought.

"It's just that every guy I've been involved with lately has been a real loser, but it seems like all the good ones are gone, so I guess a bad guy is better than no guy at all." She rested her head on her hand.

"Be very very careful Calleigh. You are far too precious to be with just anyone." He said almost warningly.

"Well if I'm so damn precious than why aren't guys like you falling in love with me?" She demanded. He looked her right in the eye.

"Guys like me already have." She searched his eyes for any insincerity and found none. "You're going to be okay, Cal. You just have to find the right guy, a guy worthy of you." He said simply. Lord did he want her to pick him though. She reached over and put her hand on his.

"I think I already have."

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Later that evening, Horatio brought her back to her apartment.

"Thank you Handsome, I really needed that." He could tell she was debating something but he couldn't quite tell what. He smiled.

"Not a problem. I'll see you tomorrow?" She nodded and he turned and started off down the hallway.

"Horatio!" He hadn't gotten more than 20 ft away when he heard her call after him. He turned back around and saw her come running towards him. She stopped just short of running into him and reaching up on her tip toes pulled him down into searing kiss.

Once the shock wore off, Horatio deepened the kiss and held onto her like she was the only think keeping him from falling. When they parted for air, she whispered in his ear.

"Stay with me tonight."

You could have kissed me like this wasn't going to last

Kept me from saying something I'll never take back

You could have held me like there was no chance

Of me waking up where I am

You could have stopped short of every dream I've ever had