Authors Note: So I figured I would try to go with the Disney way of telling a story, not sure how well it turned out. This is how I wished to go about it:A land far far away. A damsel in distress. A charming prince. A sarcastic sidekick for comic relief. A frightful villain. (And his/her evil henchmen.) A seemingly impossible set of circumstances to overcome. A surprisingly heroic moment. A sneaky assist from a secondary character. A potentially fatal occurrence. Magic. Happily ever after.
Her handsome prince
"Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl called Cinderella and she had two ugly step sisters who were very unkind who made her do all the hard work. She had to sweep the floors, do all the dishes, while they dressed up in fine clothes and went to lots of parties. One day a special invitation arrived at Cinderella's house. It was from the royal palace. The king's only son was a truly handsome prince was going to have a grand ball. Three girls were invited to come. Cinderella knew she wouldn't be allowed to go to the ball. But the ugly sisters, ho ho ho, they were excited. They couldn't talk about anything else," young Calleigh Duquesne, putting her fingers in her ears not to hear her parents yell at each other. He was drunk again. She was hiding under her covers, reading the book with her flashlight. It was in times like this she was wondering where that Prince Charming was when she needed him. Oh what she wouldn't have given to live in a land far far away right now. With a sad sigh she pulled the cover tighter around her to shut out the noise and continued to read.
"Calleigh, you coming?" Jake yelled outside their bedroom door. She smiled happily as she grabbed her bag and ran out of her room. Looking at Jake she said, "Did you just decide to steal my wardrobe now?"
He was wearing a light blue denim jeans, a black t-shirt and a light blue denim shirt on top. She was wearing the same blue jeans, a white top with a print on, and a light blue denim jacket. He smiled at her saying, "Guess great minds think alike, so ready to go to class, babe?"
"Sure thing," she said, happy as always, these days it was seldom that happy smile would leave her red lips. He put his arm around her waist and slowly they walked out.
The young Duquesne was so sure she had finally found her Prince Charming in Jake, surely they clicked and everything was going fine. She was even starting to believe in that happily ever after she had read about so many times as a child. She would however been proven wrong when he in the end would break her heart, again her tears would flow. He was going elsewhere due to a job and leaving her behind. She should find someone new he said, someone that could make her happier than he ever could.
It was with heavy heart she some years later moved to Miami, she had been headhunted there by Horatio Caine. Or rather it was his associate that came for her. She only knew Mister Caine from his reputation, meaning she would try to do everything right when she started at the crime lab. She did everything down to the tiniest detail from her first day to impress him and she did. She never told anyone how handsome she would find him, ever. Not even him.
However she couldn't help but to drool over him every once in a while, just like this day. She didn't even notice that Ryan was trying to get her attention. All she saw was the handsome redhead in his red suit and black shit.
"I give up," Ryan told Natalia, saying Calleigh's name for the third time. She was in the doorway of the DNA lab looking at Horatio.
Natalia smiled at him, her eyes going to Calleigh, the woman was clearly head over heels with their boss. She cleared her throat and said, "Calleigh!"
"Uh yes," said the blonde and turned to face her coworkers.
"Have you told Horatio how you feel?" Natalia asked her.
"Whatever would be the point, he probably wouldn't have me in any case," said the blonde, sighing heavily, leaving the lab before Ryan had a chance to ask her what he needed.
It was a sunny day some weeks after Horatio's wife had passed that the redhead sat on a bench outside the crime lab and looked out. He missed her, their affair; their relationship seemed to end before it had even begun.
"Horatio, are you okay?" he heard the petite blonde asked. He turned his head to look at her, standing there dressed in all white. In the bright sunlight she looked much like an angel. It was a cruel irony to that.
"No, I'm not," he said, looking at her, wondering if she had always been that beautiful. How could he even think this so short after… He could feel his tears welling up inside him.
She sat down next to him, and put her arms around him. He was to cry in her arms. Her head leaning against his shoulder, her heart aching for the man she loved so very much.
"Horatio, I…" her words got stuck.
"I know, Calleigh," he whispered underneath his heavy sobs. Of course he knew she loved him. He was after all not stupid. Timing had however never been at their side. It wasn't this time either as Rich Stetler was to catch them sitting there and of course made a hell of it. The Princess was to not try to approach her prince for some time to be on the safe side. It was to her surprise that Prince Jake showed up and made things even more complicated. Why had she gone to be with him again, why couldn't she just have left that be? She knew she only would end up with a broken heart and she did.
She however moved on to her handsome Prince Eric, to her that felt very the little mermaid like, but he loved her and she cared deeply for him. She wasn't sure if she ever really loved him, or if she was with him as it felt comfortable. Maybe it was because she had given up being with her handsome redhead. After all things had gotten complicated with Julia and Kyle and everything. She felt they were slowly drifting apart and she missed him a lot.
So one day she and Natalia was in the break room she decided to ask her friend for some advice. She filled her coffee cup with some bad coffee, before she said, "I just don't know what to do anymore?"
"What do you mean?" the brunette asked confused.
"With Eric, I don't know it just doesn't feel right, maybe it never did," she said with a heavy sigh.
"Are you saying you still love Horatio?" Natalia asked, frowning at her.
"Yes, no, I don't know," said the petite blonde with a heavy sigh.
"I will suggest you do find that out before you get even more serious with Eric," Natalia advised.
"Don't you think I already know that, damn it, Natalia. I see them both every day and I feel torn. Besides he would probably never have me," said Calleigh, leaving with hanging head.
"Horatio?" Ryan asked, looking at his boss, he seemed distracted.
"Mhm," he answered.
"Your signature," he said, holding up the paper in front him still.
"Oh sorry," he said and did so.
"Are you okay?" asked Ryan very much concerned.
"I…miss her," said Horatio, there was no need to say that with her he meant Calleigh.
"Have you tried talking to her?" Ryan asked.
"Of course not, she is with Eric, just never mind I said anything," he said, dismissing Ryan.
"Mommy, mommy!" Austin and Patty came running towards Calleigh, they were just done with school. And now they were coming to the lab so they could go home together. She hugged them both asking, "So did you behave today?"
"Uh-huh," they both said nodding eagerly.
"Good, why don't you go and say hi to Natalia and Ryan, I just have one last thing to finish up, then we can go home," she said. Again they nodded and ran off. She smiled, slowly walking towards her office, as she heard Horatio said, "It is nice to see you with your family."
"Handsome," she said without thinking, not turning to face him.
"You haven't called me that in ages," he said, frowning.
"Wouldn't want to feed your ego," she said with a shrug.
"So do you have all you wished for, a family, man and children?" he asked her.
"I don't have a man," she said, she and Eric had broken it up about a year ago, right before she adopted the children. He helped her out for sure, but that was also all.
"I though you and Eric…" his voice trailed off.
"No, he wasn't right," she said, turning to face him, shaking her head.
"Really?" he asked, optimism sounding in his voice.
"I thought you already knew that the only right one for me is you," she said, blushing.
"Oh sweetheart," he whispered, pulling her close, and kissing her lips, like he had wanted for so long. She would never have minded, not in a million years.
From the DNA lab the two children was watching and Patty said, "Auntie Natalia, is Horatio her Prince?"
"Yes, I believe he was that all along," said Natalia, thinking, 'It was about time."
"Will they live happily ever after?" asked they young girl.
"Yes, I am pretty sure they will," said Natalia and smiled at her. And with that statement she was right, as that they would.
Thank you for reading, feedback is always appreciated :o)