Title: Under Any Moon (1/1)
Author: Andrea (abc3969@juno.com)
Rating: NC-17; This will be posted to fanfiction.net in two parts,
one PG-13, the other NC-17. Please read responsibly.
Pairing: While I might explore the potential of other duos on occasion, my heart will always return to Horatio/Calleigh; and so, to my own muse I must be true.
Disclaimer: Me no profit; you no sue. I blatantly borrowed a character from "A Clockwork Orange," but she's seen only briefly, so I don't think anyone could consider it infringement; it's more of a compliment. ;-)
Archive: Is anybody archiving these? If so, just say so. I'll come visit. Eve, be my guest.
Spoilers: None
Author's Notes: For providing immeasurably remarkable beta services and for sharing such creative insights, Laeta, mille grazie.
Dedication: Mar. I think, maybe, this one came along just in time. When the 'ship is tossed, look for a lifeline. Hope this passes muster. (Oh, and, talk about spreading your wings...DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED!)
Summary: Horatio gets injured. Calleigh gets nervous. Yelina gets her just desserts.
With all the speculation about Season Two, I'm trying hard not to hate Yelina Salas, but, well, you'll see.
Feedback: If you please. Be gentle.
~~~~~
This cannot be good, Calleigh thought.
Any time the captain himself calls the team at home well before dawn and orders us to an emergency staff meeting, that means one of two things- either something big is about to go down and we're all gonna be in on it, or something really bad has already happened and we're going in to clean up the mess. Either way, there will be generous portions of sleepless nights and frazzled nerves served up on silver platters for everybody at the crime lab over the next several days.
As Calleigh walked in, she spotted a rumpled Speed and bleary-eyed Delko and took the seat they had saved for her between them.
Speed looked over the faces in the room and asked, "Anybody seen H? He's never late for these powwows."
"Nah. Maybe he stopped to get Calleigh some of that stuff that passes for coffee at Starbucks." Delko winked.
Calleigh felt herself start to blush but managed to shrug it off with a grin and the pithy reply of, "Y'all are just jealous because Horatio knows how to treat a lady."
Speed and Delko choked back laughter and shared knowing glances behind Calleigh's back.
Amidst the din of multiple conversations bouncing around the conference room walls, the captain stepped to the front, whistled sharply to get the group's attention, and bellowed,
"Alright, people, listen up. We have a situation here and I need everybody to be in the loop. Apparently, late last night Lieutenant Caine was the victim of a carjacking as he was leaving the lab. He must have tried to take down the perp, but the bastard got the better of him and worked him over pretty good. He was pistol-whipped and thrown from the moving vehicle during the getaway. He landed on the pavement and took a nasty crack to the head. He's at Mercy Hospital in critical condition."
Choruses of "oh my God" and "damn it" reverberated through the entire building. Speed, Delko and Calleigh stood up as one unit and started spouting a series of rapid-fire questions to the captain.
"How bad is it?"
"Did they get the guy?"
"Who's on the case?"
"Whoa. Power down for a second. There's no use getting all worked up. We've all got work to do. Speedle, you'll be acting department head in Caine's absence. Duquesne, you'll back him up. Got it?"
"Yes sir," they echoed in unison.
"MDPD is on top of the case. Adell Sevilla has the lead. She'll get with you when she finishes briefing her own team. Until then, all incoming cases will go to Speedle and Duquesne. We can pull other teams in if we need to. Work it out. I've got a meeting with IAB and the Personnel department head. We're going to get Caine's insurance and LOA forms processed. I'll follow up with you later, Detectives."
The captain exited the room and most of the staff followed behind him, still abuzz over the misfortune of one of the lab's most respected leaders.
Horatio's team stayed behind to talk in the privacy of the vacated room.
Calleigh wasted no time declaring, "Guys, you'll have to handle things without me for a while. I'm going to Mercy to check on Horatio."
The trio, close-knit before and drawn together even more so now in the face of tragedy, engaged in a group hug of support and Delko spoke for them all when he told Calleigh to tell Horatio everyone was pulling for him.
Calleigh hurried to her desk to retrieve her jacket and handbag. She left the lab and felt no qualms about breaking the land speed record in getting to the hospital.
~~~~~
Calleigh slammed her Sebring's gearshift into park and sprinted for the lobby, skidding to a halt at the information desk.
"I'm looking for a patient, Horatio Caine. He was brought in over night with head trauma."
"Yes, ma'am. I believe he's still in surgery, but you're welcome to wait in the surgery lounge for an update. Are you family? "
"Family. No. I'm not family.we're.he's my.uh, no. Thank you. The lounge is this way, I take it?" Calleigh gestured toward the center of the building as she began backing away in the same direction.
The bewildered hospital volunteer, a wizened grandmotherly-type, smiled in recognition. As Calleigh disappeared from her view, she whispered, "Go on, Deary. Go to him before it's too late."
~~~~~
Calleigh walked briskly toward the lounge area searching for a nurse or anyone who could tell her what was happening. The lady at the front desk had said she thought Horatio was in surgery. Oh, Lord, please let him be okay. Please.
She spotted a rather severe-looking nurse and approached her deliberately.
"Excuse me, but could you tell me the status of Lieutenant Horatio Caine's condition, please?" she asked directly.
"Are you his family? If not, I'm sorry. I can't discuss his condition with you."
"This again. No, I'm not his family, but I do work with him. We're close friends as well. I need to know how he is.please, just give me something." she begged, near tears.
Calleigh felt the waves of adrenaline start to course through her veins and prepared for a war of words with Nurse Ratchet when something caught her eye.
Oh, fabulous. As if I needed anything else to worry about. Yelina Salas. Holding court surrounded by an adoring throng of surgeons and interns, the epitome of familial concern. The ultimate slap in my face.
Recovering quickly from her pique, Calleigh huffed out a curt "Thanks anyway," and moved in Yelina's direction.
Still engrossed in conversation with the doctors, Yelina didn't see Calleigh's approach until they were standing shoulder to shoulder.
"Oh excuse me, I didn't notice you come in. You're on Horatio's team, right?"
"Yes. Duquesne. It's Calleigh, actually. How is he? Can I see him?" Calleigh asked, more to the room than directly to Yelina.
"The doctors tell me he's out of surgery and in recovery now. He'll go to the ICU from there. No one can see him yet, until he stabilizes, and even then, only family, so I guess that means.me. When he was brought in last night, they found my name and number in his wallet. It seems I'm listed as his next-of-kin, so they called me. I've been here for hours waiting on word," Yelina stated, a little too smugly for Calleigh's liking.
Calleigh bit back a catty reply, instead settling for "I just found out the basics a few minutes ago. If I had known, I would have been here sooner."
Sensing that there was more to this "Calleigh" person, Yelina remarked, "When I see him, I'll be sure to let him know you stopped by."
More than slightly miffed at being summarily dismissed, Calleigh turned to leave but delivered a parting shot,
"Oh, don't you worry. I'll be back. Horatio will want to see me."
~~~~~
Horatio remained in ICU for several more days, each one a little bit longer than the last for Calleigh. She still wasn't permitted to see him. She had to wait in yet another dingy lounge for Yelina to come in and give her updates.
"The surgery seems to have stopped the inter-cranial bleeding, but there is still a great deal of swelling. Horatio is in a coma for now."
"A coma. Oh, God. For how long?" Calleigh asked, feeling the dread and despair creeping up her spine.
"No one knows. His body has to heal itself. He'll wake up when he's ready," Yelina stated philosophically.
Calleigh had set up a routine for herself. Wake up, work, sit in the hospital waiting room, sometimes going home to sleep, other times, napping fitfully on the hospital couches, get up, do it all over again. Yelina would leave to take care of Ray, Jr., but Calleigh stayed for hours at a time, to no avail. Even if he were to wake up, she wouldn't know it. She was relegated to sitting by and waiting. She was never any good at waiting- -the torture of it was too much--instead, she would go to the lab and work like a fiend. Exhaustion was a real possibility, but she carried on, never losing faith that Horatio would awaken and be fine.
By the following week, Calleigh had fallen into a rhythm and her body had become used to the pattern. She had learned to function on very little sleep. Speed was handling the load at the lab. Mercifully, there were few new cases and the other statewide labs had heard of their situation and had kindly offered to lend them manpower when necessary.
Speed had been watching Calleigh since the incident and was beginning to realize that her dedication to Horatio went far beyond professional respect. Before the carjacking, he and Delko had, on several occasions, teased Calleigh about Horatio. They didn't kid around any more.
~~~~~
Adell Sevilla called to set up a meeting to discuss Horatio's case with the team. Calleigh offered to go alone, and Speed wisely allowed her to do it.
"Calleigh. Thanks for coming down. I have some interesting news for you."
"Hey, Adell. Good news, I hope."
"Sit down, please. First things first. How's H doing? I haven't had a chance to get to the hospital."
"Well, he's stable, but still comatose. Only family is allowed in to see him, but I go anyway. I want to be there when he finally wakes up."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate it when he finds out you've been there all along."
"If he finds out."
" Pardon me?"
"Oh, nothing, never mind. What about the driver? Do we know who it was?"
"We found H's SUV abandoned at the shipyards behind some cargo boxes slated for the trash dump. It was badly banged up and needs a good paint job, but it wasn't stripped. Insurance ought to cover it. As for the driver, we got lucky. We checked with the businesses along the getaway route and found several security cameras. A couple had pretty good vantage points overlooking the street. Our AV guys have examined the tapes frame by frame and we got some decent shots of the SUV and the driver. We're in the process of magnifying the images now. Shouldn't be too long. My guess is, this creep knew what he was doing. He's most likely done it before. Probably has a record as long as my arm. We'll get him. I'll stake my career on it."
Calleigh rose to leave saying, "Thanks, Adell. Keep my posted, OK?"
"You bet. Give my love to Horatio when you do get to see him."
"Sure thing. I'll be in touch."
~~~~~
Finally, on Day Eleven of Calleigh's vigil over Horatio, things changed.
That evening, after an arduous day at the lab searching databases trying to ID the driver from the videotapes, Calleigh put work aside and headed for the hospital. When she arrived at the waiting room, prepared to sit and wait as before, Yelina met her at the door.
"Horatio's awake. I haven't seen him for more than a few minutes since he woke up. He's down having an MRI now. I'm waiting to meet with the doctors."
" I'd like to sit in on that meeting if you don't mind," Calleigh asserted herself, putting to rest the assumption that she could be dismissed again.
"Certainly-if the doctor agrees to it," Yelina groused.
The lead doctor walked into the room only a few minutes later and approached Yelina, tossing a sidelong glance at Calleigh.
"Dr. Kirkland, this is Calleigh Duquesne. Feel free to speak candidly."
"Well, Ms. Salas, Ms. Duquesne, Mr. Caine is awake and quite cranky. That's a good sign."
Both Yelina and Calleigh smiled at the thought of Horatio barking orders to the nurses and demanding to be released.
"Physically, he seems to be progressing very well. Miraculously, he had no broken bones, save the concussion. The bleeding in his head has stopped and the swelling is almost completely gone. We'll want to keep him for at least another few days just to make sure there are no lasting side effects. But, make no mistake about it; there is one potentially serious problem, a hurdle, if you will, for him to get over."
"What's that?" Yelina inquired.
"In speaking with him, it's rather obvious that he has some short-term memory loss. I'm no psychologist, but my guess is, it's retrograde amnesia. He's fine with the here and now, but the accident and shortly beforehand are a blank for him. He knows who he is and with a little prompting, he figured out where he was. The real test will be to see if he remembers names, faces, and events from his past. That's where you'll come in. It will be your job to 'jog' his memory. Ask him questions. Show him pictures. Start telling him stories and let him finish them from memory. I'll contact a therapist friend of mine and set up a time for him to visit Mr. Caine and begin therapy."
"Thank you, Doctor," the two ladies intoned.
Yelina looked pointedly at Calleigh and stated, "We don't want to overwhelm Horatio all at once. Only one of us should go in at a time. I'll go first. You may want to wait until tomorrow."
"No. I am as anxious as you are to see him for myself. I won't stay long, but I will see him tonight before I leave here."
"As you wish. Just make sure he doesn't get over tired. He'll need his rest," Yelina commented as she pivoted on one foot and headed for the room assigned to Horatio.
A short while later, and intern wheeled Horatio into his room where Yelina waited for him. As his gurney passed by Calleigh, he smiled at her but said nothing. Calleigh wrote it off as disorientation and sat, once again, waiting for her turn to be with Horatio.
"Welcome back." Yelina purred.
"Thank you," he replied dryly.
"I was so worried, Horatio. I could have lost you." Yelina fawned, extending her hand toward his face.
Horatio intercepted Yelina's hand and eyed her sternly.
"I'm tired, Yelina. And I don't have the strength or the desire to play any more cat-and-mouse games with you. I appreciate your concern for me and I love you for it; but you're my family--my brother's wife. That's all. Nothing else. Nearly being killed didn't change my feelings about that. You need to accept it. I think you should leave now."
Stung by the rebuff, Yelina turned sharply and bolted from the room, barely avoiding running into Calleigh, who had stationed herself outside Horatio's door.
"He's sleeping," she lied. "I think it would be best if you came back tomorrow."
Conceding that Horatio probably did need to rest more than he needed to talk to her, Calleigh agreed to leave.
It was another day without hearing his voice or getting lost in those hypnotic eyes.
~~~~~
The next day at lunch, Calleigh decided to forego food in favor of visiting Horatio.
She knocked on his door and pushed it open a fraction, peeking inside.
She smiled when she saw him, propped up with pillows, remote in hand, scanning the television channels like the typical male. Relief poured over her like spring rain showers.
Stepping into the room, she greeted him warmly. "Well hello there, Handsome. It's about time you woke up. That was one long beauty nap you took."
Horatio chuckled, saying, "Don't I know it...Have we met?"
Calleigh's world stopped spinning. She hadn't been prepared for the possibility that he would not recognize her.
"Oh, my word, I am so sorry. I didn't realize."
"Calleigh, relax. Just a little amnesiac humor!"
"Good Lord, Horatio, don't do that. You scared me to death!"
"Sorry. Couldn't resist. This place is driving me crazy. I needed to hear somebody laugh for a change and your laughter always makes me smile, so."
Their eyes met and engaged in wordless conversation.
"No more joking around, though. How are you?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"How am I? You're not serious. My life is a walk in the park compared to what you've been through."
Their conversation continued for some time, comfortable and easy, until Horatio strayed from work-related topics and ventured more personal questions. It was not lost on him that Calleigh always managed to steer them back to business.
She left at the end of visiting hours, promising to return the next day.
She didn't go.
~~~~~
For Horatio, the next several days were a blur of sessions with the psychologist. He had lost the memories of the attack itself, blessedly. No need to relive that over and over anyway. Most everything else locked in his memory bank stayed intact. Sure, bits and pieces of minutia were lost, but the big topics were unaffected.
Horatio was released from the hospital and accepted a ride home from Yelina on the understanding that it was a courtesy and nothing more. His leave of absence was still in effect until he could see a staff doctor and psychologist and be cleared to return to work.
He tried to work from home, checking and responding to e-mails and reading reports, but it wasn't the same as being at the lab or in the field. It didn't feel right. Not to mention that Calleigh had not come around or called. He tried calling her, but his calls went unanswered. When he asked Claudia about her, the receptionist said only that Calleigh had been very busy and hadn't been around the lab much lately. Delko hadn't seen her and Speed hemmed and hawed, offering no help at all.
On the third night of having not seen her, Horatio broke the doctor's orders not to drive and headed out for Calleigh's apartment. He rang the bell and had to wait only seconds for the door to swing open. Unaware of who was on the other side, Calleigh looked out, her greeting stopped short and her smile faded instantly.
"Hello, Horatio."
"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, but I needed to see you, to talk to you. After that one time, you never came back to the hospital and you haven't returned any of my calls. I've left messages for you everywhere."
"I'm sorry, too. I just got caught up in a lot of things, and besides, I figured you needed your rest," Calleigh replied half-heartedly.
"What I needed, what I need, is to be with you, my best friend."
Calleigh winced at the endearment.
"Come take a walk with me, Calleigh. We can talk." Horatio beseeched.
"I'm not so sure that's such a good idea," Calleigh admitted weakly.
"I think we need to, Cal. I miss you. Something has changed since my coma. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
They stood at impasse for several agonizing moments until, like a magnet drawn to True North, Calleigh was unable to resist the powerful tug of his words on her heart. She grabbed her keys and cell phone from the side table and pulled the door closed behind her.
The night air was warm, and the sky, cloudless. A full moon shone brightly, illuminating their path and allowing for eye contact despite the hour. Not wanting to force the issue too quickly, Horatio guided Calleigh along with his hand at her waist and abided by the uncomfortable silence she maintained. They walked until they came to a children's playground. Horatio was the first to spot the teeter-totter. He looked at it and then at Calleigh with a gleam in his eye.
"Come on. It'll be fun."
Feeling more than a little self-conscious, she straddled the bar and waited for lift-off. Horatio pushed off and set them in motion.
"It's the perfect example of give and take, isn't it? Just like us, or how we used to be, anyway."
The utter devastation of his words shattered her already fragile heart into a million tiny shards.
On the next pass, as Calleigh's feet contacted solid ground, she leapt off the seesaw and bolted toward the street, Horatio running breathlessly to catch up to her. He clutched her by the arm and spun her around to face him.
"Enough, Calleigh. What is all this about?" He was so preoccupied with his own emotions that he nearly overlooked the tears trailing down her cheeks. When the droplets did finally register with him, he released her arms and cupped her face in his hands, slowly, tenderly brushing away the tear tracks with his thumbs. Calleigh sniffled and brought her hands up to meet and cover his, holding him to her.
"Oh, Horatio. I'm so very sorry. It's just...I don't know..."
"We were lovers, weren't we?"
She tried valiantly but failed to prevent the horrified "deer caught in headlights" expression that immediately overtook her features.
"Excuse me?"
"Before. Before my injury. We were lovers and you're upset because I don't remember. Am I right?"
Danger, Calleigh Duquesne. Proceed with extreme caution, the voices in her head screamed.
Calleigh cleared her throat demurely and averted her eyes from his penetrating gaze. She took a few steps away from him, putting some much- needed space between them. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to deliver a long involved dissertation on the complexities of their relationship. She had rehearsed it for days in anticipation of this very situation. But, when she opened her mouth to speak, what he heard was,
"Well...that's not such a simple question to answer."
"Why not? Either we were or we weren't. Seems pretty straightforward to me." Horatio replied in a tone that was part agitation, part curiosity.
"Yes, Horatio. In a manner of speaking, we were lovers, I suppose."
"In a manner of speaking you suppose we were lovers. Please explain."
"We were intellectual lovers, certainly. We always thought along the same lines. We finished each other's sentences. We had this almost eerie connection that allowed us to know what the other was thinking, even before he thought it. We worked seamlessly together without saying a word. Words just weren't necessary for us. And we were emotional lovers, definitely. We were each other's buffers from all the horror out there. We kept each other honest and grounded." Calleigh stilled and looked away.
"And?"
"And...nothing. That's it."
After a beat, recognition dawned on him. "Oh, I see. We were lovers. Our bodies just didn't know it yet."
Flustered, Calleigh blushed and tried to make another escape.
Horatio grasped her and pulled her toward him. He tilted her head in such a way as to ensure that she looked only at him.
"Uh-uh. Not again. No more running. I think it's about time we rectified this 'lovers' situation. Don't you? Just now when you were explaining how we were lovers, you spoke in the past tense, as though it isn't that way anymore. I may have forgotten some things, Calleigh, but I could never forget you and how I feel about you. All those connections we share are still here, in the present, and very much a part of who we are now. I love you, Calleigh, and I think you love me. Is my assumption correct? Do you love me?"
"So much, Horatio. You have no idea," Calleigh whispered low.
"In that case, let's tear down that final barrier between us. Tonight."
Calleigh's nervous laughter was music to his ears. "Oh, Horatio, that's just the full moon talking..." she smiled.
"I think not. I'd love you under any moon."
He grasped her shoulders and pulled her to him commandingly. His kiss was overpowering at first, until Calleigh surrendered restraint and allowed herself to be swept into the current of his passion. Before long, her rhythm synchronized with his, the ebb and flow of their kisses quickly becoming second nature.
Horatio took both her hands in his and brought them to his chin. With infinite care, he lavished attention on each finger, every knuckle, encasing the individual joints within his lips, occasionally adding the gentle swipe of his tongue for emphasis. When at last he began applying gentle suction with each pass of his lips, Calleigh felt her toes curl. A lightning bolt of pure lust ripped through her, ending with the vigorous contraction of her womb. Her knees became rubbery, sending her spiraling toward him in a wanton heap. He caught her up in his arms and began his onslaught of kisses anew.
The ringing of Calleigh's cell phone brought them crashing down from their rapturous high.
"Damn it," they swore as one.
Fumbling with the buttons, Calleigh huffed, "Duquesne. This had better be good."
Adell Sevilla chortled, saying, "Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you. I can't find H anywhere. He wouldn't happen to be with you, would he?"
Calleigh sobered quickly, answering in the affirmative.
"I need him at the station ASAP. We just brought in a guy on attempted carjacking. We believe he's Horatio's attacker. All we need is a positive ID."
"Got it. We're on our way." She clicked off the phone, groaning, "Come on Lover Man, business before pleasure," desperation dripping from every word.
Half an hour later, the pair arrived at police headquarters where they were ushered into the viewing room in which Adell already sat.
Adell greeted them with a sheepish, yet ultimately sly, grin. I just knew all this would bring those two together, she thought, pleased.
Struggling to see a vision of his attacker in his mind's eye, Horatio stared at the lineup on the other side of the mirrored wall. The particulars of that night were still fuzzy, but he knew he could never forget that face, those eyes. Without hesitation he barked, "It's number three. That's most definitely the bastard who jumped me."
Adell beamed. "Ah-ha. Excellent choice. That would be one William Clyde 'Billy' Hoag, recent parolee from upstate and tonight's collar. Looks like he just earned himself a return ticket to the state pen."
"Get him out of my sight." Horatio spat. "Oh, and Adell, good work."
Adell winked at them both, taking her leave to process the offender.
"OK, so where were we? About here, I believe..." He scooped her into his embrace and moved in to kiss her, but she headed him off with a wave of her arm.
"Not here. Bad idea." Calleigh commiserated. "Your place is closer..." she trailed off coyly.
"I knew there was a reason why I adore you." he smiled.
Not particularly caring who saw them, Horatio and Calleigh held hands as they strolled from headquarters and climbed aboard the Hummer.
~~~~~
The drive to Horatio's condo was swift and urgent. Somewhere between the playground and the viewing room, Calleigh's carefree side had come out to play. She determined that since "all's fair," she would torture him with the same treatment she had been receiving when Adell called earlier. From the passenger seat, she leaned toward him and lifted his right hand from the steering wheel, raining silent kisses over him from fingertips to wrist. Horatio tore his eyes from the road to follow her every move.
"Ah-ah-ah. Eyes on the road." she teased.
With great effort, he returned his concentration to the mechanics of driving, but his senses were focused solely on her.
From the first touch, Calleigh noticed that the ordinarily staid and proper Horatio Caine had begun to squirm, and his discomfort increased exponentially with each kiss. She knew one thing for sure--at this moment, Horatio was a lit powder keg of desire and before the night was over, she would witness and share in the explosion.
Even as he jammed the Hummer into park and wrenched the keys from the ignition, his eyes never left her. She endeavored to open her door, but Horatio twisted his wrist from her grasp and tugged on her arm.
"Please, allow me," he crooned.
Her heart quivered at his gallantry. Horatio crossed to her door and flung it open, ardently plucking Calleigh from her seat. In one fluid motion, he maneuvered her to the ground, slammed the door closed and thrust them both backward, pinning her between his chest and the Hummer's door. She was momentarily taken aback by his rapaciousness, and his next words set her to shivering.
"You'll pay for that." he grinned wickedly, melding his mouth with hers for a voracious kiss.
When the need for air outweighed their desire, Horatio bent his forehead to hers and stroked her from temple to cheek.
Her chest heaving and her heart pounding, Calleigh delivered a zinger of her own,
"Put it on my tab, Handsome."
They exchanged flirty grins and made a desperate dash for Horatio's condo. Even before he could close the door behind them, they became a tangle of lips and limbs.
"I've never wanted anything more than I want you right now," he rasped, "but I want to do this right."
"Don't fret Horatio. There's no need to seduce me. I belonged to you the first day we met."
Her words simultaneously galvanized him and melted his resolve.
Slipping effortlessly into the wordless communication they had affirmed earlier in the evening, Horatio scooped her into his arms and gently carried her to his bedroom. He bent over the bed, placing her in the center, and stood back to admire the picture she presented.
Emitting a mischievous growl, he tore at his clothes, finally ripping them from his body, and lunged forward, landing neatly at her side within the span of her outstretched arms.
Without preamble, he reached for her blouse and fumbled with the buttons while peppering her face and neck with butterfly kisses. She struggled to keep up with him, but ultimately surrendered control, allowing him to remove her outer garments and cast them aside. What he found underneath sent his pulse racing beyond its already accelerated tempo-the palest of pale pink lace-up bra and panties tied loosely about her. He touched her with tremulous hands, wanting every caress to telegraph reverence. His eyes went wide with child-like wonder and appreciation as he pulled the bra's tie free and, with both hands, pushed the fabric to her sides.
Calleigh remained silent, content just to watch him unveil her.
Sensing no trepidation from Calleigh, he let his hands trail slowly downward, resting lightly at her hips for a mere second before loosing the ties there. She lifted her torso off the bed just a fraction in silent invitation for him to pull away the last barrier between them. Devilishly crooked smile in place, he tossed the scrap of fabric over his shoulder rakishly and paused once again to take in the sight of her.
Calleigh's body instantly reacted to his blatant observation, blushing from head to toe.
"Jesus. I knew you were beautiful, but I had no idea," he breathed.
"Come 'ere, you." Calleigh beckoned with the crooking of her finger.
Blissfully compliant, he rolled atop her and settled himself between her thighs, branding her skin with his inherent heat at each point of contact.
In agonizingly slow motion, he pressed into her welcoming depths, burying himself to the hilt; and once there, stilled to revel in the sensation of being sheathed within her so intimately.
She may be the tough, unyielding "Bullet Girl" at the lab, but here, she is the softest, most pliant model of feminine perfection Horatio could ever hope for.
Slowly, methodically, he began to move. Blessedly, Calleigh met his every surge with equal strength and intensity. Feeling completion barreling toward him like a locomotive, he redoubled his efforts, increasing the pace and burying his face in the hollow between her neck and her shoulder.
"Let go for me, Calleigh," he entreated.
Suddenly, he felt her go rigid and halt all movement. A barely decipherable whimper issued from beneath him, compelling him to prop himself up on his elbows to identify the source of the sound. Calleigh lay stock still, her lower lip captured between her teeth and a rivulet of tears meandering down her cheek.
"Oh, Calleigh, Baby. God. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly, even then pushing away from her.
Taking hold of his arm to anchor him to her, she hastened to reply, "No. You're perfect. Everything's perfect. It' just..."
"Tell me."
"I've wanted this so much and waited so long for it to happen, Horatio. I don't want it to end."
"No worries, my dear. Tonight is just the beginning," he murmured roguishly, lowering himself to her once again.
This time, their joining was frenzied and robust, culminating with the fiery explosion Calleigh had so adroitly anticipated.
~~~~~
By and by, they lay spooned together watching the moonlight creating shadows on the wall, neither one willing to surrender to sleep. Horatio dropped a feathery kiss on her temple and dovetailed his fingers with hers, causing her to sigh contentedly. He leaned in close to her ear and confessed, "You look beautiful in my bed."
Touched by his heartfelt compliment, Calleigh indulged herself in a moment of preening before replying saucily, "Yeah, well, let's just see if you can say that in the morning after you've seen me with bed-head and makeup streaks on my face."
"I've loved you under the full moon, Beautiful; I'm sure I'll love you by the light of day."
She turned and rolled toward him, declaring matter-of-factly, "I love you, you know."
He looked at her resolutely and vowed, "And I'm never going to let you forget it."
Finis.
Author: Andrea (abc3969@juno.com)
Rating: NC-17; This will be posted to fanfiction.net in two parts,
one PG-13, the other NC-17. Please read responsibly.
Pairing: While I might explore the potential of other duos on occasion, my heart will always return to Horatio/Calleigh; and so, to my own muse I must be true.
Disclaimer: Me no profit; you no sue. I blatantly borrowed a character from "A Clockwork Orange," but she's seen only briefly, so I don't think anyone could consider it infringement; it's more of a compliment. ;-)
Archive: Is anybody archiving these? If so, just say so. I'll come visit. Eve, be my guest.
Spoilers: None
Author's Notes: For providing immeasurably remarkable beta services and for sharing such creative insights, Laeta, mille grazie.
Dedication: Mar. I think, maybe, this one came along just in time. When the 'ship is tossed, look for a lifeline. Hope this passes muster. (Oh, and, talk about spreading your wings...DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED!)
Summary: Horatio gets injured. Calleigh gets nervous. Yelina gets her just desserts.
With all the speculation about Season Two, I'm trying hard not to hate Yelina Salas, but, well, you'll see.
Feedback: If you please. Be gentle.
~~~~~
This cannot be good, Calleigh thought.
Any time the captain himself calls the team at home well before dawn and orders us to an emergency staff meeting, that means one of two things- either something big is about to go down and we're all gonna be in on it, or something really bad has already happened and we're going in to clean up the mess. Either way, there will be generous portions of sleepless nights and frazzled nerves served up on silver platters for everybody at the crime lab over the next several days.
As Calleigh walked in, she spotted a rumpled Speed and bleary-eyed Delko and took the seat they had saved for her between them.
Speed looked over the faces in the room and asked, "Anybody seen H? He's never late for these powwows."
"Nah. Maybe he stopped to get Calleigh some of that stuff that passes for coffee at Starbucks." Delko winked.
Calleigh felt herself start to blush but managed to shrug it off with a grin and the pithy reply of, "Y'all are just jealous because Horatio knows how to treat a lady."
Speed and Delko choked back laughter and shared knowing glances behind Calleigh's back.
Amidst the din of multiple conversations bouncing around the conference room walls, the captain stepped to the front, whistled sharply to get the group's attention, and bellowed,
"Alright, people, listen up. We have a situation here and I need everybody to be in the loop. Apparently, late last night Lieutenant Caine was the victim of a carjacking as he was leaving the lab. He must have tried to take down the perp, but the bastard got the better of him and worked him over pretty good. He was pistol-whipped and thrown from the moving vehicle during the getaway. He landed on the pavement and took a nasty crack to the head. He's at Mercy Hospital in critical condition."
Choruses of "oh my God" and "damn it" reverberated through the entire building. Speed, Delko and Calleigh stood up as one unit and started spouting a series of rapid-fire questions to the captain.
"How bad is it?"
"Did they get the guy?"
"Who's on the case?"
"Whoa. Power down for a second. There's no use getting all worked up. We've all got work to do. Speedle, you'll be acting department head in Caine's absence. Duquesne, you'll back him up. Got it?"
"Yes sir," they echoed in unison.
"MDPD is on top of the case. Adell Sevilla has the lead. She'll get with you when she finishes briefing her own team. Until then, all incoming cases will go to Speedle and Duquesne. We can pull other teams in if we need to. Work it out. I've got a meeting with IAB and the Personnel department head. We're going to get Caine's insurance and LOA forms processed. I'll follow up with you later, Detectives."
The captain exited the room and most of the staff followed behind him, still abuzz over the misfortune of one of the lab's most respected leaders.
Horatio's team stayed behind to talk in the privacy of the vacated room.
Calleigh wasted no time declaring, "Guys, you'll have to handle things without me for a while. I'm going to Mercy to check on Horatio."
The trio, close-knit before and drawn together even more so now in the face of tragedy, engaged in a group hug of support and Delko spoke for them all when he told Calleigh to tell Horatio everyone was pulling for him.
Calleigh hurried to her desk to retrieve her jacket and handbag. She left the lab and felt no qualms about breaking the land speed record in getting to the hospital.
~~~~~
Calleigh slammed her Sebring's gearshift into park and sprinted for the lobby, skidding to a halt at the information desk.
"I'm looking for a patient, Horatio Caine. He was brought in over night with head trauma."
"Yes, ma'am. I believe he's still in surgery, but you're welcome to wait in the surgery lounge for an update. Are you family? "
"Family. No. I'm not family.we're.he's my.uh, no. Thank you. The lounge is this way, I take it?" Calleigh gestured toward the center of the building as she began backing away in the same direction.
The bewildered hospital volunteer, a wizened grandmotherly-type, smiled in recognition. As Calleigh disappeared from her view, she whispered, "Go on, Deary. Go to him before it's too late."
~~~~~
Calleigh walked briskly toward the lounge area searching for a nurse or anyone who could tell her what was happening. The lady at the front desk had said she thought Horatio was in surgery. Oh, Lord, please let him be okay. Please.
She spotted a rather severe-looking nurse and approached her deliberately.
"Excuse me, but could you tell me the status of Lieutenant Horatio Caine's condition, please?" she asked directly.
"Are you his family? If not, I'm sorry. I can't discuss his condition with you."
"This again. No, I'm not his family, but I do work with him. We're close friends as well. I need to know how he is.please, just give me something." she begged, near tears.
Calleigh felt the waves of adrenaline start to course through her veins and prepared for a war of words with Nurse Ratchet when something caught her eye.
Oh, fabulous. As if I needed anything else to worry about. Yelina Salas. Holding court surrounded by an adoring throng of surgeons and interns, the epitome of familial concern. The ultimate slap in my face.
Recovering quickly from her pique, Calleigh huffed out a curt "Thanks anyway," and moved in Yelina's direction.
Still engrossed in conversation with the doctors, Yelina didn't see Calleigh's approach until they were standing shoulder to shoulder.
"Oh excuse me, I didn't notice you come in. You're on Horatio's team, right?"
"Yes. Duquesne. It's Calleigh, actually. How is he? Can I see him?" Calleigh asked, more to the room than directly to Yelina.
"The doctors tell me he's out of surgery and in recovery now. He'll go to the ICU from there. No one can see him yet, until he stabilizes, and even then, only family, so I guess that means.me. When he was brought in last night, they found my name and number in his wallet. It seems I'm listed as his next-of-kin, so they called me. I've been here for hours waiting on word," Yelina stated, a little too smugly for Calleigh's liking.
Calleigh bit back a catty reply, instead settling for "I just found out the basics a few minutes ago. If I had known, I would have been here sooner."
Sensing that there was more to this "Calleigh" person, Yelina remarked, "When I see him, I'll be sure to let him know you stopped by."
More than slightly miffed at being summarily dismissed, Calleigh turned to leave but delivered a parting shot,
"Oh, don't you worry. I'll be back. Horatio will want to see me."
~~~~~
Horatio remained in ICU for several more days, each one a little bit longer than the last for Calleigh. She still wasn't permitted to see him. She had to wait in yet another dingy lounge for Yelina to come in and give her updates.
"The surgery seems to have stopped the inter-cranial bleeding, but there is still a great deal of swelling. Horatio is in a coma for now."
"A coma. Oh, God. For how long?" Calleigh asked, feeling the dread and despair creeping up her spine.
"No one knows. His body has to heal itself. He'll wake up when he's ready," Yelina stated philosophically.
Calleigh had set up a routine for herself. Wake up, work, sit in the hospital waiting room, sometimes going home to sleep, other times, napping fitfully on the hospital couches, get up, do it all over again. Yelina would leave to take care of Ray, Jr., but Calleigh stayed for hours at a time, to no avail. Even if he were to wake up, she wouldn't know it. She was relegated to sitting by and waiting. She was never any good at waiting- -the torture of it was too much--instead, she would go to the lab and work like a fiend. Exhaustion was a real possibility, but she carried on, never losing faith that Horatio would awaken and be fine.
By the following week, Calleigh had fallen into a rhythm and her body had become used to the pattern. She had learned to function on very little sleep. Speed was handling the load at the lab. Mercifully, there were few new cases and the other statewide labs had heard of their situation and had kindly offered to lend them manpower when necessary.
Speed had been watching Calleigh since the incident and was beginning to realize that her dedication to Horatio went far beyond professional respect. Before the carjacking, he and Delko had, on several occasions, teased Calleigh about Horatio. They didn't kid around any more.
~~~~~
Adell Sevilla called to set up a meeting to discuss Horatio's case with the team. Calleigh offered to go alone, and Speed wisely allowed her to do it.
"Calleigh. Thanks for coming down. I have some interesting news for you."
"Hey, Adell. Good news, I hope."
"Sit down, please. First things first. How's H doing? I haven't had a chance to get to the hospital."
"Well, he's stable, but still comatose. Only family is allowed in to see him, but I go anyway. I want to be there when he finally wakes up."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate it when he finds out you've been there all along."
"If he finds out."
" Pardon me?"
"Oh, nothing, never mind. What about the driver? Do we know who it was?"
"We found H's SUV abandoned at the shipyards behind some cargo boxes slated for the trash dump. It was badly banged up and needs a good paint job, but it wasn't stripped. Insurance ought to cover it. As for the driver, we got lucky. We checked with the businesses along the getaway route and found several security cameras. A couple had pretty good vantage points overlooking the street. Our AV guys have examined the tapes frame by frame and we got some decent shots of the SUV and the driver. We're in the process of magnifying the images now. Shouldn't be too long. My guess is, this creep knew what he was doing. He's most likely done it before. Probably has a record as long as my arm. We'll get him. I'll stake my career on it."
Calleigh rose to leave saying, "Thanks, Adell. Keep my posted, OK?"
"You bet. Give my love to Horatio when you do get to see him."
"Sure thing. I'll be in touch."
~~~~~
Finally, on Day Eleven of Calleigh's vigil over Horatio, things changed.
That evening, after an arduous day at the lab searching databases trying to ID the driver from the videotapes, Calleigh put work aside and headed for the hospital. When she arrived at the waiting room, prepared to sit and wait as before, Yelina met her at the door.
"Horatio's awake. I haven't seen him for more than a few minutes since he woke up. He's down having an MRI now. I'm waiting to meet with the doctors."
" I'd like to sit in on that meeting if you don't mind," Calleigh asserted herself, putting to rest the assumption that she could be dismissed again.
"Certainly-if the doctor agrees to it," Yelina groused.
The lead doctor walked into the room only a few minutes later and approached Yelina, tossing a sidelong glance at Calleigh.
"Dr. Kirkland, this is Calleigh Duquesne. Feel free to speak candidly."
"Well, Ms. Salas, Ms. Duquesne, Mr. Caine is awake and quite cranky. That's a good sign."
Both Yelina and Calleigh smiled at the thought of Horatio barking orders to the nurses and demanding to be released.
"Physically, he seems to be progressing very well. Miraculously, he had no broken bones, save the concussion. The bleeding in his head has stopped and the swelling is almost completely gone. We'll want to keep him for at least another few days just to make sure there are no lasting side effects. But, make no mistake about it; there is one potentially serious problem, a hurdle, if you will, for him to get over."
"What's that?" Yelina inquired.
"In speaking with him, it's rather obvious that he has some short-term memory loss. I'm no psychologist, but my guess is, it's retrograde amnesia. He's fine with the here and now, but the accident and shortly beforehand are a blank for him. He knows who he is and with a little prompting, he figured out where he was. The real test will be to see if he remembers names, faces, and events from his past. That's where you'll come in. It will be your job to 'jog' his memory. Ask him questions. Show him pictures. Start telling him stories and let him finish them from memory. I'll contact a therapist friend of mine and set up a time for him to visit Mr. Caine and begin therapy."
"Thank you, Doctor," the two ladies intoned.
Yelina looked pointedly at Calleigh and stated, "We don't want to overwhelm Horatio all at once. Only one of us should go in at a time. I'll go first. You may want to wait until tomorrow."
"No. I am as anxious as you are to see him for myself. I won't stay long, but I will see him tonight before I leave here."
"As you wish. Just make sure he doesn't get over tired. He'll need his rest," Yelina commented as she pivoted on one foot and headed for the room assigned to Horatio.
A short while later, and intern wheeled Horatio into his room where Yelina waited for him. As his gurney passed by Calleigh, he smiled at her but said nothing. Calleigh wrote it off as disorientation and sat, once again, waiting for her turn to be with Horatio.
"Welcome back." Yelina purred.
"Thank you," he replied dryly.
"I was so worried, Horatio. I could have lost you." Yelina fawned, extending her hand toward his face.
Horatio intercepted Yelina's hand and eyed her sternly.
"I'm tired, Yelina. And I don't have the strength or the desire to play any more cat-and-mouse games with you. I appreciate your concern for me and I love you for it; but you're my family--my brother's wife. That's all. Nothing else. Nearly being killed didn't change my feelings about that. You need to accept it. I think you should leave now."
Stung by the rebuff, Yelina turned sharply and bolted from the room, barely avoiding running into Calleigh, who had stationed herself outside Horatio's door.
"He's sleeping," she lied. "I think it would be best if you came back tomorrow."
Conceding that Horatio probably did need to rest more than he needed to talk to her, Calleigh agreed to leave.
It was another day without hearing his voice or getting lost in those hypnotic eyes.
~~~~~
The next day at lunch, Calleigh decided to forego food in favor of visiting Horatio.
She knocked on his door and pushed it open a fraction, peeking inside.
She smiled when she saw him, propped up with pillows, remote in hand, scanning the television channels like the typical male. Relief poured over her like spring rain showers.
Stepping into the room, she greeted him warmly. "Well hello there, Handsome. It's about time you woke up. That was one long beauty nap you took."
Horatio chuckled, saying, "Don't I know it...Have we met?"
Calleigh's world stopped spinning. She hadn't been prepared for the possibility that he would not recognize her.
"Oh, my word, I am so sorry. I didn't realize."
"Calleigh, relax. Just a little amnesiac humor!"
"Good Lord, Horatio, don't do that. You scared me to death!"
"Sorry. Couldn't resist. This place is driving me crazy. I needed to hear somebody laugh for a change and your laughter always makes me smile, so."
Their eyes met and engaged in wordless conversation.
"No more joking around, though. How are you?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"How am I? You're not serious. My life is a walk in the park compared to what you've been through."
Their conversation continued for some time, comfortable and easy, until Horatio strayed from work-related topics and ventured more personal questions. It was not lost on him that Calleigh always managed to steer them back to business.
She left at the end of visiting hours, promising to return the next day.
She didn't go.
~~~~~
For Horatio, the next several days were a blur of sessions with the psychologist. He had lost the memories of the attack itself, blessedly. No need to relive that over and over anyway. Most everything else locked in his memory bank stayed intact. Sure, bits and pieces of minutia were lost, but the big topics were unaffected.
Horatio was released from the hospital and accepted a ride home from Yelina on the understanding that it was a courtesy and nothing more. His leave of absence was still in effect until he could see a staff doctor and psychologist and be cleared to return to work.
He tried to work from home, checking and responding to e-mails and reading reports, but it wasn't the same as being at the lab or in the field. It didn't feel right. Not to mention that Calleigh had not come around or called. He tried calling her, but his calls went unanswered. When he asked Claudia about her, the receptionist said only that Calleigh had been very busy and hadn't been around the lab much lately. Delko hadn't seen her and Speed hemmed and hawed, offering no help at all.
On the third night of having not seen her, Horatio broke the doctor's orders not to drive and headed out for Calleigh's apartment. He rang the bell and had to wait only seconds for the door to swing open. Unaware of who was on the other side, Calleigh looked out, her greeting stopped short and her smile faded instantly.
"Hello, Horatio."
"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, but I needed to see you, to talk to you. After that one time, you never came back to the hospital and you haven't returned any of my calls. I've left messages for you everywhere."
"I'm sorry, too. I just got caught up in a lot of things, and besides, I figured you needed your rest," Calleigh replied half-heartedly.
"What I needed, what I need, is to be with you, my best friend."
Calleigh winced at the endearment.
"Come take a walk with me, Calleigh. We can talk." Horatio beseeched.
"I'm not so sure that's such a good idea," Calleigh admitted weakly.
"I think we need to, Cal. I miss you. Something has changed since my coma. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
They stood at impasse for several agonizing moments until, like a magnet drawn to True North, Calleigh was unable to resist the powerful tug of his words on her heart. She grabbed her keys and cell phone from the side table and pulled the door closed behind her.
The night air was warm, and the sky, cloudless. A full moon shone brightly, illuminating their path and allowing for eye contact despite the hour. Not wanting to force the issue too quickly, Horatio guided Calleigh along with his hand at her waist and abided by the uncomfortable silence she maintained. They walked until they came to a children's playground. Horatio was the first to spot the teeter-totter. He looked at it and then at Calleigh with a gleam in his eye.
"Come on. It'll be fun."
Feeling more than a little self-conscious, she straddled the bar and waited for lift-off. Horatio pushed off and set them in motion.
"It's the perfect example of give and take, isn't it? Just like us, or how we used to be, anyway."
The utter devastation of his words shattered her already fragile heart into a million tiny shards.
On the next pass, as Calleigh's feet contacted solid ground, she leapt off the seesaw and bolted toward the street, Horatio running breathlessly to catch up to her. He clutched her by the arm and spun her around to face him.
"Enough, Calleigh. What is all this about?" He was so preoccupied with his own emotions that he nearly overlooked the tears trailing down her cheeks. When the droplets did finally register with him, he released her arms and cupped her face in his hands, slowly, tenderly brushing away the tear tracks with his thumbs. Calleigh sniffled and brought her hands up to meet and cover his, holding him to her.
"Oh, Horatio. I'm so very sorry. It's just...I don't know..."
"We were lovers, weren't we?"
She tried valiantly but failed to prevent the horrified "deer caught in headlights" expression that immediately overtook her features.
"Excuse me?"
"Before. Before my injury. We were lovers and you're upset because I don't remember. Am I right?"
Danger, Calleigh Duquesne. Proceed with extreme caution, the voices in her head screamed.
Calleigh cleared her throat demurely and averted her eyes from his penetrating gaze. She took a few steps away from him, putting some much- needed space between them. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to deliver a long involved dissertation on the complexities of their relationship. She had rehearsed it for days in anticipation of this very situation. But, when she opened her mouth to speak, what he heard was,
"Well...that's not such a simple question to answer."
"Why not? Either we were or we weren't. Seems pretty straightforward to me." Horatio replied in a tone that was part agitation, part curiosity.
"Yes, Horatio. In a manner of speaking, we were lovers, I suppose."
"In a manner of speaking you suppose we were lovers. Please explain."
"We were intellectual lovers, certainly. We always thought along the same lines. We finished each other's sentences. We had this almost eerie connection that allowed us to know what the other was thinking, even before he thought it. We worked seamlessly together without saying a word. Words just weren't necessary for us. And we were emotional lovers, definitely. We were each other's buffers from all the horror out there. We kept each other honest and grounded." Calleigh stilled and looked away.
"And?"
"And...nothing. That's it."
After a beat, recognition dawned on him. "Oh, I see. We were lovers. Our bodies just didn't know it yet."
Flustered, Calleigh blushed and tried to make another escape.
Horatio grasped her and pulled her toward him. He tilted her head in such a way as to ensure that she looked only at him.
"Uh-uh. Not again. No more running. I think it's about time we rectified this 'lovers' situation. Don't you? Just now when you were explaining how we were lovers, you spoke in the past tense, as though it isn't that way anymore. I may have forgotten some things, Calleigh, but I could never forget you and how I feel about you. All those connections we share are still here, in the present, and very much a part of who we are now. I love you, Calleigh, and I think you love me. Is my assumption correct? Do you love me?"
"So much, Horatio. You have no idea," Calleigh whispered low.
"In that case, let's tear down that final barrier between us. Tonight."
Calleigh's nervous laughter was music to his ears. "Oh, Horatio, that's just the full moon talking..." she smiled.
"I think not. I'd love you under any moon."
He grasped her shoulders and pulled her to him commandingly. His kiss was overpowering at first, until Calleigh surrendered restraint and allowed herself to be swept into the current of his passion. Before long, her rhythm synchronized with his, the ebb and flow of their kisses quickly becoming second nature.
Horatio took both her hands in his and brought them to his chin. With infinite care, he lavished attention on each finger, every knuckle, encasing the individual joints within his lips, occasionally adding the gentle swipe of his tongue for emphasis. When at last he began applying gentle suction with each pass of his lips, Calleigh felt her toes curl. A lightning bolt of pure lust ripped through her, ending with the vigorous contraction of her womb. Her knees became rubbery, sending her spiraling toward him in a wanton heap. He caught her up in his arms and began his onslaught of kisses anew.
The ringing of Calleigh's cell phone brought them crashing down from their rapturous high.
"Damn it," they swore as one.
Fumbling with the buttons, Calleigh huffed, "Duquesne. This had better be good."
Adell Sevilla chortled, saying, "Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you. I can't find H anywhere. He wouldn't happen to be with you, would he?"
Calleigh sobered quickly, answering in the affirmative.
"I need him at the station ASAP. We just brought in a guy on attempted carjacking. We believe he's Horatio's attacker. All we need is a positive ID."
"Got it. We're on our way." She clicked off the phone, groaning, "Come on Lover Man, business before pleasure," desperation dripping from every word.
Half an hour later, the pair arrived at police headquarters where they were ushered into the viewing room in which Adell already sat.
Adell greeted them with a sheepish, yet ultimately sly, grin. I just knew all this would bring those two together, she thought, pleased.
Struggling to see a vision of his attacker in his mind's eye, Horatio stared at the lineup on the other side of the mirrored wall. The particulars of that night were still fuzzy, but he knew he could never forget that face, those eyes. Without hesitation he barked, "It's number three. That's most definitely the bastard who jumped me."
Adell beamed. "Ah-ha. Excellent choice. That would be one William Clyde 'Billy' Hoag, recent parolee from upstate and tonight's collar. Looks like he just earned himself a return ticket to the state pen."
"Get him out of my sight." Horatio spat. "Oh, and Adell, good work."
Adell winked at them both, taking her leave to process the offender.
"OK, so where were we? About here, I believe..." He scooped her into his embrace and moved in to kiss her, but she headed him off with a wave of her arm.
"Not here. Bad idea." Calleigh commiserated. "Your place is closer..." she trailed off coyly.
"I knew there was a reason why I adore you." he smiled.
Not particularly caring who saw them, Horatio and Calleigh held hands as they strolled from headquarters and climbed aboard the Hummer.
~~~~~
The drive to Horatio's condo was swift and urgent. Somewhere between the playground and the viewing room, Calleigh's carefree side had come out to play. She determined that since "all's fair," she would torture him with the same treatment she had been receiving when Adell called earlier. From the passenger seat, she leaned toward him and lifted his right hand from the steering wheel, raining silent kisses over him from fingertips to wrist. Horatio tore his eyes from the road to follow her every move.
"Ah-ah-ah. Eyes on the road." she teased.
With great effort, he returned his concentration to the mechanics of driving, but his senses were focused solely on her.
From the first touch, Calleigh noticed that the ordinarily staid and proper Horatio Caine had begun to squirm, and his discomfort increased exponentially with each kiss. She knew one thing for sure--at this moment, Horatio was a lit powder keg of desire and before the night was over, she would witness and share in the explosion.
Even as he jammed the Hummer into park and wrenched the keys from the ignition, his eyes never left her. She endeavored to open her door, but Horatio twisted his wrist from her grasp and tugged on her arm.
"Please, allow me," he crooned.
Her heart quivered at his gallantry. Horatio crossed to her door and flung it open, ardently plucking Calleigh from her seat. In one fluid motion, he maneuvered her to the ground, slammed the door closed and thrust them both backward, pinning her between his chest and the Hummer's door. She was momentarily taken aback by his rapaciousness, and his next words set her to shivering.
"You'll pay for that." he grinned wickedly, melding his mouth with hers for a voracious kiss.
When the need for air outweighed their desire, Horatio bent his forehead to hers and stroked her from temple to cheek.
Her chest heaving and her heart pounding, Calleigh delivered a zinger of her own,
"Put it on my tab, Handsome."
They exchanged flirty grins and made a desperate dash for Horatio's condo. Even before he could close the door behind them, they became a tangle of lips and limbs.
"I've never wanted anything more than I want you right now," he rasped, "but I want to do this right."
"Don't fret Horatio. There's no need to seduce me. I belonged to you the first day we met."
Her words simultaneously galvanized him and melted his resolve.
Slipping effortlessly into the wordless communication they had affirmed earlier in the evening, Horatio scooped her into his arms and gently carried her to his bedroom. He bent over the bed, placing her in the center, and stood back to admire the picture she presented.
Emitting a mischievous growl, he tore at his clothes, finally ripping them from his body, and lunged forward, landing neatly at her side within the span of her outstretched arms.
Without preamble, he reached for her blouse and fumbled with the buttons while peppering her face and neck with butterfly kisses. She struggled to keep up with him, but ultimately surrendered control, allowing him to remove her outer garments and cast them aside. What he found underneath sent his pulse racing beyond its already accelerated tempo-the palest of pale pink lace-up bra and panties tied loosely about her. He touched her with tremulous hands, wanting every caress to telegraph reverence. His eyes went wide with child-like wonder and appreciation as he pulled the bra's tie free and, with both hands, pushed the fabric to her sides.
Calleigh remained silent, content just to watch him unveil her.
Sensing no trepidation from Calleigh, he let his hands trail slowly downward, resting lightly at her hips for a mere second before loosing the ties there. She lifted her torso off the bed just a fraction in silent invitation for him to pull away the last barrier between them. Devilishly crooked smile in place, he tossed the scrap of fabric over his shoulder rakishly and paused once again to take in the sight of her.
Calleigh's body instantly reacted to his blatant observation, blushing from head to toe.
"Jesus. I knew you were beautiful, but I had no idea," he breathed.
"Come 'ere, you." Calleigh beckoned with the crooking of her finger.
Blissfully compliant, he rolled atop her and settled himself between her thighs, branding her skin with his inherent heat at each point of contact.
In agonizingly slow motion, he pressed into her welcoming depths, burying himself to the hilt; and once there, stilled to revel in the sensation of being sheathed within her so intimately.
She may be the tough, unyielding "Bullet Girl" at the lab, but here, she is the softest, most pliant model of feminine perfection Horatio could ever hope for.
Slowly, methodically, he began to move. Blessedly, Calleigh met his every surge with equal strength and intensity. Feeling completion barreling toward him like a locomotive, he redoubled his efforts, increasing the pace and burying his face in the hollow between her neck and her shoulder.
"Let go for me, Calleigh," he entreated.
Suddenly, he felt her go rigid and halt all movement. A barely decipherable whimper issued from beneath him, compelling him to prop himself up on his elbows to identify the source of the sound. Calleigh lay stock still, her lower lip captured between her teeth and a rivulet of tears meandering down her cheek.
"Oh, Calleigh, Baby. God. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly, even then pushing away from her.
Taking hold of his arm to anchor him to her, she hastened to reply, "No. You're perfect. Everything's perfect. It' just..."
"Tell me."
"I've wanted this so much and waited so long for it to happen, Horatio. I don't want it to end."
"No worries, my dear. Tonight is just the beginning," he murmured roguishly, lowering himself to her once again.
This time, their joining was frenzied and robust, culminating with the fiery explosion Calleigh had so adroitly anticipated.
~~~~~
By and by, they lay spooned together watching the moonlight creating shadows on the wall, neither one willing to surrender to sleep. Horatio dropped a feathery kiss on her temple and dovetailed his fingers with hers, causing her to sigh contentedly. He leaned in close to her ear and confessed, "You look beautiful in my bed."
Touched by his heartfelt compliment, Calleigh indulged herself in a moment of preening before replying saucily, "Yeah, well, let's just see if you can say that in the morning after you've seen me with bed-head and makeup streaks on my face."
"I've loved you under the full moon, Beautiful; I'm sure I'll love you by the light of day."
She turned and rolled toward him, declaring matter-of-factly, "I love you, you know."
He looked at her resolutely and vowed, "And I'm never going to let you forget it."
Finis.