"Good and evil are so close as to be chained together in the soul."

- Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dressed casually in jeans and a figure-hugging black top, Calleigh stood on Horatio's doorstep waiting for him to answer.

He had been released from the hospital three days ago and had allowed her to give him a lift home and help him settle back into his surroundings. As much as she would have liked to spend all her time with him, the lab had been under pressure to clear several cases.

As cliched as it sounded, crime never stopped and a citywide power outage had seen a spike in criminal activity. Even running both the day and night shift at full capacity had not been enough to clear the backlog until last night.

It had been midnight by the time she'd returned home to her apartment and she had simply fallen into bed and into a dreamless sleep.

She gave Horatio a beaming smile as he opened the door, a shy smile crossing his own features as he looked at her.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked.

Calleigh lifted the paper bag in her hands. "I've got a special delivery for you."

Horatio arched an eyebrow. "Sounds interesting. You're not my usual courier though," he said, his eyes roaming her attire. "I'd order more home deliveries if you were."

Opening the door wider, he motioned for her to come in, wincing slightly as the movement pulled in his sore ribs.

It didn't go unnoticed by Calleigh.

"They still hurt?" she asked sympathetically.

"Only when I move...or breathe," he sighed.

Calleigh followed him to the kitchen, watching as he busied himself by making them coffee.

"It's been busy at the lab?" he asked, turning the coffee machine on.

She sat down heavily at the table. "Like you wouldn't believe."

"I guess it doesn't help being a man down either," he responded quietly.

She caught the frown that marred his features.

"Alexx is not going to let you back just yet."

Her ability to read his thoughts took Horatio by surprise.

"Am I that obvious?"

Calleigh smiled at him. "I know you, Horatio. Sitting at home is driving you mad. You couldn't sit still if you tried."

"Hmmm."

That noise he made when he was amused made her insides tingle. She could imagine the way it would rumble in his chest, the smile tugging at his lips.

"Have you been good?" Calleigh asked, taking the proffered coffee from him.

She looked at him over the rim of her cup, taking in his appearance.

Dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, he hardly looked like the smartly-dressed lieutenant they all knew. The cuts and bruises on his face were fading with each day that passed, the only clear signs that remained of his ordeal were the cast on his left wrist and the way he cradled his ribs when he moved.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Yes, ma'am. I'm following the doctors orders to the letter."

Calleigh laughed as she saw the scowl cross his features. Horatio had been a less than ideal patient and had fought his doctor almost every step of the way in his recovery so far. As stubborn as he was, even Horatio had realised that the only way he would get back to work would be to follow his doctor's advice and he had done so, albeit reluctantly.

Standing, she made her way over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek before ruffling his hair. "Good boy."

It suddenly struck her that both she and Horatio were in a new phase of their relationship. She'd only just confessed to her feelings for him. They were slowly feeling their way around, moving from superior and subordinate towards two adults on an even footing.

Had she just done the wrong thing?

"In that case, I've been really, really good," Horatio smiled as he placed his hands on her hips, pulling her close. "What would that get me?"

Leaning in, their lips met gently at first before the kiss became deeper.

As much as she was enjoying the feeling of being in his arms, Calleigh eventually broke the contact between them and fished something out of the paper bag she'd brought with her.

"It also gets you this," she said, handing him a book.

He looked at her briefly before returning his gaze to the gift she'd given him. "Where did you find this?" His eyes were still wide with wonder as he took in the limited edition copy of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

He'd read the book several times and it was still one of his favourites. Perhaps Calleigh had noticed that his copy of the book had become brittle throughout the years since his mother's death. It had been one of the only items he'd kept after the fateful night that his parents had died.

Something about the story spoke to his own conflicted nature. Each time he'd found himself at a crossroads in his life, he had picked up the book and reread it, hoping that he would find some sort of guidance from the pages.

He looked at her intently. "I'm not quite sure what to say." He glanced at the book in his hands and then returned his gaze to her face. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it."

He smiled at her. Not just any old smile, but one that finally reached those soulful blue eyes of his. "I love it," he told her sincerely.

"I've also got this," Calleigh said, lifting a huge packet of popcorn from the bag. "You wanna head to the couch and watch movies with me?"

"Will you put in a good word for me on Monday with Alexx if I do?" Horatio responded with a grin. "I'll have spent the weekend resting and relaxing, won't I?" he added as they made their way to the lounge.

She grabbed the remote from his hand and leant back on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her. "Only if you let me do all the heavy lifting with the remote."

His only answer was the soft, "Hmmm," as made himself comfortable on the couch, stealing a handful of popcorn before she could notice.

—

"You wanna watch another one?" Calleigh asked as the credits rolled on the screen, turning her attention to the man sitting next to her when she received no response.

She smiled as she realised he'd fallen asleep during the film, his head tipped back and leaning to the side of the couch. The lines around his face seemed far less pronounced as he slept. At least he wasn't carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders when he was asleep too.

She would have loved to watch him sleep for longer, yet she knew he'd be due another round of painkillers soon and he'd regret not taking them. Despite the attack being over three weeks ago, she knew the amount of pain he was still in, even though he tried his best to hide it.

Deciding to let him sleep for a few more minutes, Calleigh quietly made her way to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water and the pill bottle from the kitchen counter. She knew that taking such potent painkillers on an empty stomach would be a recipe for trouble and so she grabbed ingredients out of the refrigerator and set about making a sandwich for both of them.

Preparation complete, she headed back to the lounge to find Horatio in exactly the position she'd left him in. Touching his shoulder, she gave him a gentle shake to wake him. She shook him again and it was enough to make him sit up too quickly for his broken ribs. It took a moment or two for the disorientation to dissipate and his eyes to clear - a clear sign that the attack was still affecting him.

"Sorry," he mumbled, rubbing a hand across his face.

"Are you ok?" she asked softly, knowing the last thing he would want or need was her pity.

He nodded his head as she sat next to him, handing him the pills and water.

He looked as if he were about to object.

"Hey, you promised you were being a good boy, remember?" She gave him a sassy smile. "You want me to put in a good word with Alexx, don't you?"

He threw her a pale imitation of his patented glare although there was no malice behind it, only a sense of mild exasperation.

"Ok, but don't blame me if I fall asleep on you again this afternoon," he warned as he swallowed the pills with a mouthful of water.

"I think I can live with that," she replied before taking a bite of her sandwich.

—

"Pizza's here," Calleigh said, gently shaking him awake.

Horatio grimaced as he tried to sit straighter on the couch. "When did we order that?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Halfway through film number three. You know, the one you slept through."

Horatio felt the blush rise to his cheeks. "I'm…uh…I'm normally better company than this," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Calleigh couldn't help but smile. Horatio had spent most of the afternoon sleeping, yet the fact that he had been next to her had made it one of the best days she could remember. She'd hardly had a lot of them lately and spending time with Horatio made her feel safe and relaxed. Spending time with him felt natural.

"I'll give you a pass, for now," she replied, flipping open the pizza box and handing him a slice.

He eyed the pepperoni pizza. "How did you know?" he asked before taking a bite.

Of course she knew. After transferring to Miami, she'd made it her mission to find out more about the mysterious Horatio Caine. Besides, she was a police officer, it stood to reason that she would always take note of the evidence before her.

She knew how he liked his coffee, what type of pizza he would order when the team were called on to work late…

"Lucky guess, I suppose," she replied, taking a bite.

She kept a watchful eye on him as he ate, frowning when she saw him pinch the bridge of his nose twice in as many minutes.

"Are you ok?" she asked, knowing that he would brush her concerns aside and tell her he was fine.

He glanced at her briefly and nodded his head before instantly regretting it. Suddenly, his stomach rebelled as he pulled himself from the couch and into the bathroom.

He looked miserable as he dragged himself back into the lounge several minutes later.

"You're still getting the headaches then?" she asked sympathetically, handing him a glass of water.

He took it gratefully, keen to remove the last remnants of bile from his mouth.

The doctor had warned him that the after effects of the head injury would likely last for several weeks.

"It's par for the course with skull fractures," the doctor had advised him. "It's completely natural to have attacks until the body recovers fully from the ordeal."

"But they'll go eventually, right?" Calleigh had asked, taking the proffered pharmacy bag from the doctor.

"They'll lessen with time…and rest," the doctor threw a pointed look at Horatio.

"So we don't need to be concerned about them?" Calleigh asked.

The doctor turned his attention back to his reluctant patient. "If you experience any blurred vision, confusion or loss of consciousness, you need to come straight back to the ER. Is that understood?"

Horatio nodded his head slightly. "Understood, doctor."

Calleigh placed a hand on his forehead, checking for any signs of a fever. "You don't feel dizzy, disorientated?"

He gently removed her hand from his head. "Just the headache, I promise."

She looked at him intently, checking for any signs that he might be lying to her.

"In that case, I'm taking you to bed."

His arched eyebrow caught her off guard as it suddenly occurred to her what her words must have sounded like.

"Cool your jets, big boy. I don't think you're in any shape for that right now."

They looked at each other for a number of moments. Sure, they had shared a few kisses, but they were breaking new ground in their relationship. Becoming intimate would be the point of no return. Once their relationship had turned physical, it would be almost impossible for them to return to being superior and subordinate.

"Uh, bed then," Horatio finally said before making his way to his bedroom, unsure if Calleigh would follow him.

Busying herself with pouring a glass of water in the kitchen, Calleigh gave herself a few moments to regain her composure. Both of them had confessed to their feelings for one another, but were either of them really ready to take the next step? Would Horatio think her cheap for sleeping with him after such a short space of time?

Her thoughts were disturbed by a growling noise emanating from Horatio's bedroom. Grabbing the bottle of painkillers, she made her way into his room, faintly amused at his current predicament. It turned into a full-on smile as she heard him swear under his breath.

"You need some help there?" she asked, watching him struggle to remove his t-shirt, his efforts hampered by the pain in his ribs.

She didn't wait for a reply as she pulled the offending garment over his head. "There you are," she said giving him an appraising look.

There was something quite cute about him sitting on the side of his bed in nothing but boxer shorts. She took a moment to admire his lean frame before handing him the pills and a glass of water.

She gently pushed him down to the pillows and covered him with the sheet. She busied herself for a short while before returning with a cold cloth and placing it over his eyes.

She made herself comfortable under the sheets.

"Uh, Calleigh. You're in my bed."

"Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself," she reassured him. "For tonight, at least."

—

Content that Horatio was still asleep, Calleigh quietly crept from the bed and set about making coffee in the kitchen. She'd been as good as her word and had kept her hands to herself last night, even though the urge snuggle up close to Horatio had been strong. She'd settled for running a hand through his hair as he slept in an attempt to lessen the pain the headache was causing him.

Lost in her thoughts, the sound of the doorbell startled her. Rushing to the hallway before it could ring again, she opened the door and was surprised to find Alexx on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" Calleigh asked, standing to one side for her colleague to enter.

"I could ask you the same thing, sugar," Alexx retorted as she followed Calleigh to the kitchen. "I thought I'd come to check up on Horatio."

"He's still sleeping."

"At 9am?"

The two women shared a look. Both of them knew that Horatio was a notoriously early riser. Staying in bed past 6am was not something he did.

"So, what gives, Calleigh?"

The question caught her off-guard. "I'm sorry?"

"I half expected Horatio to be banging on my door demanding that he be allowed to go back to work by now. I haven't heard a peep from him and now you tell me he's sleeping in this morning. Are you slipping something in his coffee?"

The words were tinged with wry amusement, both women aware that Horatio was not a patient man, especially when it came to his own health and wellbeing.

"Maybe it's just my good old Southern charms?" Calleigh suggested as she smiled at her colleague.

"Either that or the boy has it bad for you," Alexx shot back, her eyes widening as she noticed Calleigh blushing.

Suddenly, the pieces fell into place for Alexx.

"Wait, have you been here all night?"

Calleigh felt herself blush again. "Not in the way that you think."

The two women were looking at each other when a soft groaning caught their attention.

"I'll go and check on the patient," Alexx said, grabbing her medical kit and calling over her shoulder as she left the kitchen. "Then you can tell me all the juicy details."

"Well, hello there," Alexx smirked as she entered Horatio's bedroom, watching as he attempted to sit up in bed.

"Alexx, what are you doing here?"

Sitting down next to him, she bent down to reach for a pair of latex gloves from her bag. "I haven't heard from you in days. I was worried something had happened to you."

Horatio sighed. "I've been doing what you've told me to. I behave myself and you think something is wrong with me?"

"Honey, that's exactly my point," Alexx chuckled, snapping on the gloves. "You couldn't lay low and do as you're told if your life depended on it."

Horatio huffed his displeasure. "Have you just come here to insult me?"

Now it was Alexx's turn to reveal her frustration. "Don't get shirty with me just because I'm the only one who stands up to you. Someone needs to tell you when you're being a royal pain in the ass." Alexx arched her eyebrow, daring him to respond. "Now, follow my finger with your eyes."

Having dutifully followed Alexx's commands for the past several minutes, Horatio was beginning to grow tired of her continued poking and prodding.

"Ow," he remarked as Alexx pressed on a decidedly sore spot on his ribcage.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Only when you poke me there," he replied testily.

"How are the headaches?"

He'd debated lying to her, yet he knew Calleigh would mention last night, even if he didn't.

"I'm still getting them," he replied reluctantly. "You're not going to let me back to work any time soon, are you?"

She almost felt sorry for him, especially when he gave her the patented 'Horatio' puppy dog eyes.

"You have an appointment at the hospital on Wednesday?" she asked, removing her gloves and satisfied with her patient's condition.

Horatio nodded his head.

"Get your doctor to call me afterwards. We'll talk about you coming back - "

She saw the way his face lit up at her words and held a hand up to stop him from talking.

"It'll be desk duty only. The furthest you'll be allowed is your office and the lab."

"Alexx - "

She stopped him with another glare. "It's not up for discussion. It's desk duty or nothing, you understand?"

He attempted to give her his wounded look again.

"Forget it, Horatio. Unless you want to stay at home for a few more weeks. I'm sure that can be arranged…"

He held a hand up in defeat. "Ok, you win."

"I always do, sugar," Alexx retorted, snapping shut her bag.

Her eyes softened as she took in his ruffled appearance.

"Now, come here and give me a hug," she said, motioning him forward and enveloping him in a gentle embrace, being mindful of his ribs.

He felt the sharp tap on his shoulder as they disengaged.

"Ow," he said, holding his left arm and giving Alexx a sour look. "What was that for?"

"Since when do you hold out on me?"

He was confused by the sudden change in Alexx's demeanour. "What are you talking about?"

"Why didn't you tell me about you and Calleigh?"

"What about us?"

Alexx huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Well, you could have told me that there was an 'us' to begin with."

"Alexx - "

"How long has it been going on for?"

Horatio squirmed slightly. "Just a few days," he said quietly. "How did you know?"

"Calleigh's walking around your kitchen wearing a t-shirt that's way too big for her and both sides of your bed look like they've been slept in. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out."

"Uh…um," Horatio stuttered, feeling his cheeks flame.

"Either you 'fess up or I'll go and ask Calleigh. Either way, I want to know all the details…"

—

"Everything ok?" Calleigh asked as she heard Alexx re-enter the kitchen.

"Horatio's fine. Stubborn, but fine," Alexx smiled, gratefully accepting the cup of coffee from her colleague. "I told him we'd consider desk duty after his appointment next week."

"How did that go down?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "About as well as you'd expect it would with Mr Independent."

"You were in there a long time," Calleigh remarked as both women heard the shower being turned on.

"Horatio and I had some things to talk about," Alexx said casually as she took a sip of her coffee. "I know about the two of you."

The comment caught Calleigh by surprise. "He told you?"

"I dragged it out of him...eventually."

"Alexx - "

"I'm happy for you both," Alexx said, cutting her off. "He's been alone for too long. I'm glad he's finally letting someone in."

"We're taking it slowly. I don't think either of us want to get hurt."

"I know, sugar. That's why I'm only going to say this once. If you hurt that man…so help me…"

If she'd had any doubt before, Alexx's response showed just how deeply the M.E cared for Horatio.

"I get it, Alexx. You'll know exactly where to bury the body."

"Good," Alexx said, nodding her head. "I'm glad we're all on the same page now."

Horatio's soft voice took them both by surprise as he walked into the kitchen.

"What page would that be?"