Title: Lady in red

By: Jessi84

Rating: PG

Warnings: None

Pairing: yeah it's obviously H/C

Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine. They belong to Jerry Bruckheimer. The Song "Lady in red" isn't mine either, it belongs to Chris de Burgh

Notes: Long time no see, hope you enjoy it. Thanks to my Beta Melles76

There he was, leaning against the bar and watching people dancing and talking. It was his….well he didn't know exactly how many banquets he had attended while his function as the head of Miami Crime Lab, but what he knew was, he didn't like them at all. It wasn't exactly because of the people, but of what these kinds of parties represented – politics. How he hated politics. He had to deal with it every day and dealing with it in his free time, wasn't something that made his day bright. And today wasn't an exception. Sure, he wasn't alone; his team was there, too. The boys were flirting with their newest girlfriends while Alexx was dancing with her husband. And himself? Well, he wasn't exactly sure what he was doing at all. On the one hand, he wanted nothing more than to leave, on the other hand, he was waiting. He was sure, she wouldn't miss this banquet, what he didn't know was, if she would come alone. This thought made his heart ache. Of course she had a date, there was no question about it, if she wanted, she could have all the men, who worshiped the ground she was walking on. Shoulders slumped, he turned to the bartender and ordered another wine. He didn't turn back until he overheard a discussion of two men on his left side, talking about a woman who had just entered the room. Curious, he looked back and was stunned. There she was, more beautiful, than ever. She wore a deep red dress, fitting her in all the right places to underline her perfect curves.

I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright

He wanted to go to greet her, but his body didn't respond the way he wanted him to. With anguish he watched other men, walking towards her.


I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance
They're looking for a little romance

But he knew that she wasn't that kind of woman. If you wanted to be part of her life, you had to be patient, gentle and most of all respecting her as a woman.

All he could do was staring at her


And I've never seen that dress you're wearing
Or that highlights in your hair
That catch your eyes

He absorbed everything about her. At this moment, there was nobody but her in the room.


I have been blind

Blind. Too stubborn to admit that his feelings for her were far beyond friendship. Too proud to admit that he hated the idea of her in an other mans' arms.

He sighed and was about to turn again, as he saw, that she was approaching him. He looked around and yes, she was really walking up to him. He pulled himself up, greeted her and made compliments about her appearance. He didn't tell her, that she looked extremely attractive, because as always he was cautious if not shy. At work they flirted, but here and now, he was kind of reserved. She instead, was more open with her compliments about his outfit. You didn't see him so often in an elegant smoking, even though he was always fashionable in his suits at work.

The little voice inside his head became louder, when he heard that, tonight, she was, just like him, alone and without a date. Just the gentleman he was, he ordered her a wine and they clicked glasses in anticipation of what this evening would bring.

They talked for what seemed like hours to him. Strangely enough after a short time there was no kind of awkwardness between them. Well, they knew each other for so many years and yes, they were friends and he couldn't help but hope that there was more behind it. Behind her flirting, calling him handsome and the fact that she didn't want to break the bond that had appeared throughout this evening. But maybe he was a fool and scolded himself for only thinking about that. Who could he fool? He was old, she was more than 14 years junior and the way she lived her life was so very different from his own way. As cliché as it sounded, she looked at the bright side of life, while he was surrounded by darkness. There was no chance for him, for them. So he put the lid on the thought of togetherness with this beautiful woman. Opposites attract. Yeah, in a Hollywood movie maybe, but real life was something different, especially more painful when you were rejected. She was in another league, too far to reach and he was sure he would never be the one she would take and spend her life with. So he was slightly surprised when he heard himself asking her for the next dance. But got a boost for his ego when she accepted with one of her blinding smiles. He took her hand carefully, not quite sure if it was dream or reality and pulled her gentle to the dance floor. He didn't twirl her round the dance floor, it was more a kind of gliding. She fitted so perfectly to his body he had never imagined.

The lady in red is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek

He could recognize her with all his five senses. Touching the small of her back, hearing her laughter when he swung her around, seeing her hair flowing, smelling her perfume when she was so close to him, that he almost tasted her.


There's nobody here
It's just you and me

Was there anyone else but them? He couldn't say. The woman in his arms overwhelmed him, like no woman had done before.


It's where I wanna be
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight

He used to think, that he knew everything about her, how wrong had he been. There was no place on earth he'd rather be, than in her arms. He wanted to consume her, be part of her life. Be the one she could turn to when her world broke apart, be the one who could fix it. Not as a friend, but as a lover. But he knew she was out of reach, so he just soaked up everything he could get in purpose that he would never forget this one night.

I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright you were amazing

He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't. Couldn't find the words to describe her beauty, so he spoke with his eyes, the window of his soul.


I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side

But it was him she was dancing with. How good he felt when he saw the looks of the other men in the room. For this night, she was his and his alone.


And when you turned to me and smiled it took my breath away
And I have never had such a feeling such a feeling
Of complete and utter love, as I do tonight

Calming down was a hard task, when the beating of your heart was extraordinarily high. Was it the first time he admitted his feelings for her? Have they ever been present, but stayed unnoticed? No. He had noticed them, perhaps even other people, but he was content that she was clueless about his feelings. Well at least he did the best to conceal them.

The lady in red is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek

So why had he asked her for this dance? What made him believe that there was this minuscule chance of not being rejected by her? Was it her blinding smile? The way her eyes were flirting with his? Or the world was spinning around them?

But I hardly know this beauty by my side

Why was it so hard to read her now, but at work she was an open book? Was it his own insecurity?


I'll never forget the way you look tonight

How could he? How could he forget ever forget her? She was on his mind for so many years now. Haunting his dreams almost every night. Not that this weren't unpleasant dreams, but he wanted her full, as much in daylight as in night.

Lost in thought, he didn't even notice the song has stopped and it was only them still dancing to music, only they heard. Because it was their dance, the dance they had done for too many years. Their dance around each other, with small touches, flirting comments, but neither was willing to do the step. The step into unknown water. He was a man who looked challenges right into the eye. And if this challenge was his next, then he would accept it, even though he wasn't sure if it was a losing battle.

The lady in red
My lady in red

They still danced close to each other, when he caressed her back, with feather light touches. She couldn't help but blush and hope for him to make the first move. And that he did.


I love you

I love you Cal

Feedback is always welcome