What Silence Can Do
Author's Note: my first shot at DuCaine. A certain someone sent me a PM, requesting for a DuCaine story. Well, here it is :) I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a review after you're done with it. Thanks a lot. :P –HÜ
Disclaimer: All CSI:Miami characters and places mentioned here do not belong to me. Yeah, I'm bummed about it as well :))
Damn it! I'm tired of hearing Jake pass on all the blame for his mistakes! Calleigh Duquesne thought furiously. She just had another huge argument with her on and off boyfriend, Jake Berkeley. Calleigh was extra pissed about it because they had just made up a few days ago from their last argument that put them both in silent treatment with each other.
Calleigh knew that Jake wasn't the most gentleman and nicest guy in the world, but she could never understand why or how she even fell in love with him in the first place, despite of what he always put her through. Calleigh knew there were a lot of other men out there willing to be her boyfriend, and who were much nicer than Jake but somehow, Jake had her wrapped in his little finger.
Damn that finger, thought Calleigh, scowling as she flopped down on a park bench. It was late in the afternoon now, and the sun was just getting ready to set. She was supposed to come home already, but Calleigh decided to stay for a little while. She had timed out and decided to take a walk outside the Miami-Dade P.D. building in search for cool air that could blow away the murderous thoughts about Jake burning in her brain.
"Calleigh, it's not my fault that Leesa Zuckenberg tried to kiss me," Jake had said earlier. "I guess she just never knew I already had a beautiful and sexy girlfriend," he had added, winking playfully at her.
"Ugh, I hate his guts!" Calleigh muttered darkly. Although it was embarrassing to admit, Calleigh's stomach did a little flip-flop when Jake grinned and winked at her earlier. But even that could not take away her anger because of what Jake had done—he had kissed Leesa Zuckenberg back.
"It's really too bad that I got to see that. But it's not as bad as to what I would have done to them if I had the chance!" Calleigh's dark mutterings continued as she stared stonily at the gorgeous setting sun.
She had been in a bar near Jake's house that morning because of an interview with the manager. When Calleigh saw Jake with another woman at the back of the bar, she immediately went livid. It was only Natalia and Frank who had kept her from pouncing on the pair as they shared a rowdy kiss.
When she had confronted Jake about it, he had sounded pleased about what he had done. "Hey, Calleigh, babe, it's alright. It was just a kiss. It's you I love, not her." He had said, and smiled condescendingly at her like she was some toddler jealous of her playmate.
"I am never going out with Jake Berkeley again—ever!" Calleigh yelled at the sun as unwarranted tears streamed down her cheeks.
Ü Ö Ü
Horatio Caine hurried down the steps of Miami-Dade P.D. and slipped on his sunglasses. He had never lost control like this before. He felt like his whole body was under adrenaline rush that he could just tear his whole office down.
"What just happened to me back there?" he asked himself as he sat down on a park bench, trembling slightly. "I have never thought that Julia would still have that effect on me. It's much stronger now that we have Kyle tagging along. God, what's happening to me?!" he cried out loud and put his throbbing head into his hands.
Julia Winston was Horatio's first love and after so many years of having no communication, he could not believe that he was still—oh, heavens forbid—in love with her. She was still very attractive, with her huge eyes, golden locks, and curvy body. She had not changed at all, except for certain lines of disappointment along her mouth and forehead. It was obvious that she did not trust Horatio with their son.
"Oh, and I suppose she thinks she's a better parent than I am?" Horatio said sarcastically to himself. It seemed like whenever Horatio tried to talk to Julia about the custody of Kyle, she always pointed out the fact that Horatio's family background was not good and used this to win their argument. She never gave Horatio the chance to talk.
"I just hope Kyle has the sense to pick the right parent to live with," Horatio muttered at the bush beside the bench he was sitting on. His eyes wandered over to the deserted park—or so he thought. About twelve feet away from him a certain sun-kissed blonde sat on a bench, staring at the almost-set sun.
Horatio wondered what Calleigh was doing at the park alone. His eyes ranged over the surroundings again and did not see Jake Berkeley anywhere. Horatio stood up and walked over to where Calleigh sat.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Horatio smiled slightly. Calleigh almost jumped up out of her seat but realized that it was Horatio who had sat down beside her, not Jake. "Horatio! You scared me out of my wits!" she exclaimed.
"I thought you already went home?" he asked, confused.
"Well, I decided to stay to watch the sunset for a while. It's very pretty," she added, but not seeming to be watching the sunset at all.
"Any chance that you're here because of something else?" Horatio asked. "Perhaps, something that's bothering you?"
"Horatio." Calleigh sighed. "You know me too well. If you must know, it's about Jake. But I won't delve into the details now—it's too complicated."
"That's alright, Cal. Just so you know, though, I'm always here if you want to talk about anything that's bothering you," Horatio replied sincerely.
"I know. So what about you? What brought you here?"
"I just wanted some fresh air before going back to face the pile of paperwork waiting at my office," Horatio joked. But something in his tone made Calleigh wonder if he was only telling half of the truth. She looked at him and said sternly, "Alright, boss. What is it this time? Is it about Kyle and Julia again?"
Horatio blinked at her in surprise. "You know me too well—" he imitated her tone and accent, which made Calleigh grin. "—because you are in fact, right."
"Do you care to--?" Calleigh started to say.
"Too complicated and messed up." Horatio interrupted her with a small smile.
"Well then I guess we just reached an impasse. What say you that we just sit here and mope about our sad little lives?" Calleigh teased. Horatio laughed. "Well, being good friends who know each other very well has its advantages. We may not know what exactly our friend's problem is, but we will always keep each other company for better or for worse," he said.
Calleigh smiled at him. "Yeah, you're right." Both of them lapsed into a comfortable silence that stretched on. Horatio and Calleigh just sat at the park bench, both absorbed with their own thoughts. After an hour of just sitting, Horatio finally pulled Calleigh beside him and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He rested his chin on her hair. Calleigh was a bit surprised at his gesture at first but took it as a good sign and rested her head on his shoulder.
They sat at the bench for what seemed like years until finally, Calleigh broke the silence and said in a croaky voice, "Thanks for sulking with me, I really appreciate it." She pulled away and looked at him.
Horatio smiled and replied, "Anytime. You kept me company as well, so thank you." He stood up. "Let's get going now or dinner will be late for us." He held out his hand for Calleigh to take.
"We're going Chinese tonight, my treat," he said in a tone that kept Calleigh from arguing back. She took his hand and they walked to the Miami-Dade P.D. parking lot to fetch their cars.
"OK, but coffee will be my treat later!" Calleigh's sunny voice returned again and wafted through the air, followed by a bell-like laugh that echoed through the night.
A true friend is indeed enough to keep a lonely person company and make him laugh through the bad times.
Calleigh and Horatio knew that they've both got a true friend with each other, and that's what gets them through it all.
-Fin-
A/N: Happy Christmas to all, especially to my friends here in FanFiction. :D please leave a review! Thank you.
