Meaningful Promises

Chapter 1

Horatio and Zoë found themselves on the sofa, Zoë sitting between Horatio's legs leaning back on him as they sat across the sofa as Horatio delicately played with her fingers as her head rested on his chest. They were watching a document on nature when Zoë casually said something that alarmed Horatio.

"I keep seeing this strange man where ever I go." She said softly, glancing down at their clasped hands. Horatio lowered his eyebrows and she felt him tense.

"Where have you seen him?" He asked, beginning to grow quite concerned already.

"Most places, except at work. I've seen him at some crime scenes, I think I've seen him somewhere before." Zoë said as she exhaled, not thinking anything of it.

"What does he look like?" Horatio questioned as he stopped playing with her fingers. She turned her head and looked up at him, hearing his alarmed tone and feeling his tense body.

"A little smaller than you, with dark short hair and generally wears a suit." Zoë said softly as she looked back to the TV.

"Have you managed to get a look at his facial features?" Horatio questioned.

"Erm, kind of, he's not attractive… I don't know, it's hard to explain, he usually stands a little too far away to give specific details." Zoë said as she glanced up at him again.

"Has he come close to you?" Horatio questioned.

"Once in a shop, but that was one of the first times I saw him so I didn't take note of his features." Zoë said innocently as she glanced back up at him.

"Okay sweetheart, I want to put some police protection on you in that case." Horatio said softly, not wanting to alarm her.

"There's no need for that, he's not come close at all, he just seems a little stalkerish. He doesn't look dangerous." Zoë said looking up at him.

"Well, we both know what stalkers can turn into, even if he doesn't look dangerous. I want you under protection until I can figure out who he is, okay? Just until then." Horatio asked softly and she exhaled.

"Okay, if it'll make you happy but I can't see him doing anything drastic, he's only been watching and following." Zoë said softly.

"That's not normal Zoë, he could be a criminal waiting… you should have told me sooner, when did this start?" Horatio questioned.

"Erm… about 2 weeks ago? I didn't say anything to begin with because I thought it was a coincidence, and I've just told you because I thought you should know." She said glancing back up at him. Horatio exhaled and nodded then placed a delicate kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you for telling me." Horatio said softly and she gave him a small smile, his alarmed response had gotten her thinking. 'I should have brought it up with him sooner, he seems quite worried.' She thought to herself as she began playing with his hands.

Sure to his word, Horatio had police protection put on Zoë and a patrol car to drive by the house every 20 minutes. A few days passed and Zoë hadn't seen the man about and hadn't given it anymore thought. Horatio had lightened the police protection as he went with her everywhere she went and felt that he was enough to deter the man from following Zoë, which seemed to work.

Ryan, Eric, Zoë and Horatio were all in a lab, getting on with a case when Zoë walked over to Eric as he looked at a suspects profile on the computer.

"Who is that?" She questioned and Horatio looked up and over at her from the file he was reading. He watched her walk over to Eric, looking intrigued and obviously thinking hard.