BETA READ by Lady Anemone & LA Calleigh.
Disclaimer: All the characters of CSI: Miami are the property of CBS Broadcasting Inc and Alliance-Atlantis Communications. No copyright infringement is intended.
CHALLENGE, in the same universe as my series POSITIVE/NEGATIVE.
Chapter 10
"Calleigh..." Horatio impatiently seized the wrist of his daughter's mother, gently forcing her to make eye contact with his pain filled depths. She found herself turned around, still holding the black nine millimeter she had been firing when her red haired, blue eyed husband and former boss had walked in on her domain. Calleigh and Horatio had both been able to keep their respective jobs at the lab and on the day shift, on condition Calleigh would report straight to the Captain. Protocol actually tried to prevent personal relationships from interfering with their work, and usually, one or both was transferred because of it. They counted themselves lucky in this.
"Let go," Calleigh said. She valued her independence, and really didn't like being bossed around by anyone. Just as the female opened her mouth to repeat her words, Eric appeared at the doorway of the firing range, behind Horatio. Their dialogue had escalated from its quiet beginnings and had likely been a little louder than usual...
When Calleigh's lips parted without saying a word, and Horatio noticed her green eyes wandering over to something behind him, the man instinctively turned around to confront the other man. "Eric, could you leave us alone for a minute?"
The Trace and Tires expert nodded and immediately left, as Horatio slid his fingers off his wife's small wrist and looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, "This really drives me nuts, this..." Lieutenant Caine searched for the right word, "uncertainty," he concluded.
"I'm sorry, too," Calleigh answered.
"Does that mean you have had enough time to... ?"
She sighed and lowered her pure emerald eyes. "No," she admitted. When she felt his deep blue eyes on her, she looked up once again and said, "I just want things to be like they were before. If only it were that easy. I need to get used to…" More words weren't really necessary. Saying what she had just said, Calleigh finally made up her mind and realized what her next move should be.
"We have all time in the world," Horatio said, "I could wait for a lifetime, as long as it was with you."
"Have you heard from Elizabeth recently?" Calleigh asked, after a few minutes of silence. She hid her confusion and ongoing indecision with a little smile. Her sudden question surprised him a little, but Horatio nodded and answered honestly. "I was at Tripp's yesterday–" "And he interrogates me about her every day. He takes every single opportunity to ask if she's alright, and to squeeze me like a lemon," Sergeant Francis 'Frank' Tripp finished, walking up behind the pair. "I'm sorry to disturb your little conversation, but a D.B. has been found in Coral Gables. Young girl. Identity unknown. Gunshot wounds. She was found completely naked."
Frank rolled his eyes as neither of them replied, and started to walk back the way he had come. "Not too long, right? Our D.B. won't be leaving the crime scene any time soon, but I was hoping we could get at least an identity before the shift ends," he said, leaving Ballistics in his typical way: shoulders squared, giant steps.
Horatio looked at the mother of his child with surprise, as she carefully leaned forward and her soft red lips met his. When both of them pulled back, Calleigh said, "Come on. Before Frank kills us, too." That kiss had sealed her decision, and at the same time, had reassured her it was the right one.