AN: Here's the second chapter, I'll try to make this one longer since I had to cram the first one in during a time crunch of 30 minutes. Anyway, I do not own the rights to CSI: Miami, I only own the rights to my created characters.

Welcome to Miami International Airport, the Hummer was parked out front, Calliegh in the passenger's seat, Ryan in the driver's, as they waited for Horatio's daughter to appear from the crowd of people coming out of the airport.

"So Ryan, you excited to see Erin?"

Ryan looked at her, "Yeah, though she's probably changed a lot in the past three years."

Calleigh smiled, "You're right, she's probably dyed her hair neon blue and changed her name to Donna,"

Ryan's eyes grew wide, "Don't let H hear you make that joke,"

"He won't, besides, I know he's missed her a lot. Since she became a CSI in New York, she hasn't been able to visit as often as she used to,"

"Yeah I know, it's hard for him, he's constantly worried if he's gonna get a call from NYPD that she's been in an accident or something." That was actually Ryan's concern, he didn't know what he'd do if Erin got hurt.

"Look there she is!" Calleigh jumped out of the Hummer and ran to a young woman who was waiting for them. Ryan, however, took his time getting out of the vehicle, keeping his eyes fixed on the woman at all times. Erin Caine looked nothing like her father except for her baby blue eyes: she had blonde hair, almost as curly as Yelina's, that fell just below her shoulder blades, she didn't have Horatio's pale Irish skin, but evenly tanned since her mother was Italian, she was about 5'9 in height, and her smile captivated Ryan in an instant.

"...it's so good to see you again Erin!" Calliegh's southern drawl broke Ryan's daze.

"It's great to see you, too, Calleigh," her bright blue eyes met the the glittering hazel gaze of Ryan, "hello Ryan," her pearl-white smile made his face grow hot.

"How've ya been Erin?"

She shrugged, "Not too bad, cases have been popping up like crazy over the past year or so, I've been really busy. Sorry I didn't get a chance to come down sooner, off the clock of course."

Calliegh nodded, "Totally understand, so put your suitcase in the trunk and we'll head to the lab,"

Erin smiled, her eyes never leaving Ryan's, "Sounds good, can I drive?"

Ryan tossed her the keys, "All yours,"

"Thanks," Erin rolled her suitcase to the back of the Hummer and put it in the trunk, then walked to the driver's side and got behind the wheel. Ryan sat in the passenger's seat while Calliegh sat in the back. The three of them rode in silence save for the radio, Calleigh asking Erin a question now and then, but the tension between Erin and Ryan grew with each passing minute. They knew that their secret was huge, and the only person that knew besides them was Alexx. Erin would occasionally glance over at Ryan and smile, and he'd smile back, but any other contact between the two while they were at work was going to be strictly forbidden.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Horatio and Frank stood outside the Miami Police Department, waiting for Calleigh, Ryan, and Erin.

"So Horatio, you excited to see her?" Frank asked, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Horatio took off his glasses as the Hummer came into view, "Of course I am Frank, of course I am."

Erin pulled the Hummer up into the parking space and got out, handing the keys to Calliegh. Ryan walked to her side real quick before she could see her father, "Is this going to be awkward?"

Erin sighed, "Ryan, as long as we stay within the boundaries, we'll be fine," her hand touched his lightly as she walked past him to her father.

"Dad!"

Horatio smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, "How are ya sweetheart?"

Erin smiled back, blue eyes meeting blue eyes, "I've been good, you?"

"Never better,"

"Well am I just gonna get ignored?"

Erin laughed, "Of course not Frank,"

Frank smiled, "C'mere kiddo,"

Erin hugged him, "Been keepin' my dad out of trouble?" Horatio smiled shyly.

"Your dad doesn't need me to look after him,"

"That he doesn't. So what's goin' on?"

Horatio took her hand, "I know this case is a little touchy for you, it is for me, too, but just bear with me OK?"

Erin never liked to talk about the Ace of Spades serial killer, for he was the one who had made her life a living hell when she was 14. She quickly shook the thoughts out of her head and nodded to her father, "OK, let's do this," the two of them walked into the lab and went down to the morgue where Alexx was cleaning up the vic.

"Well if it isn't my little girl all grown up?"

Erin ran over quickly and gave her a hug, "Hey Alexx,"

"How are things in New York?"

Erin smiled, "Good, but the new ME we got is very slow."

Horatio chuckled, "Don't tell Mac,"

"Already did, but he thinks so, too. So what've you got Alexx?"

Erin put a pair of gloves as Alexx uncovered the body, "Paul Gallagher, COD was strangulation with this," she showed Erin the makeshift electrical chord noose, "broke two vertebrae in his neck."

Erin took a UV light and scanned the body, "No signs of trace or blood, what about under his nails?" Alexx handed her the wooden scraper,

"All yours from here baby,"

Erin took the stick and quickly ran underneath the fingernails, finding epethilials, "Human skin, I'll get them to DNA. Where's the playing card?"

Alexx sighed, "You sure you wanna do this Erin?"

"Alexx please,"

The ME didn't say another word as she handed Erin the playing card with the Ace of Spades on the front.

"This card's handmade, and the Spade is made out of...oh my God,"

Horatio looked at her, "What is it Erin?"

She looked at her father, "It's been made with blood."

Horatio nodded, "OK, you know the team's gonna ask you about the killer so why don't I call them all into the briefing room so you can get the story out in the open...if you want."

Erin hesitated, she hadn't talked about the Ace of Spades killer since her incident, but she knew she'd have to to help the case, so she nodded, "I'll do it."

"OK, see you in the briefing room in fifteen minutes,"

"Got it, I'm just gonna finish up here with Alexx."

Horatio gave his daughter a quick kiss on the cheek, "Glad to have you here sweetie," and with that he left the two women alone in the morgue.

Alexx quickly turned to her, "So I'm guessing he doesn't know about you and Ryan?"

Erin shook her head, "No he doesn't, and I'd rather keep that a secret until this case is over,"

"I hear ya baby girl, my lips are sealed,"

Erin smiled, "Thanks Alexx, I'm gonna run this up to DNA along with the card, maybe we'll get a hit on who's blood it is."

"Alright sugar, catch ya later,"

"See ya Alexx," Erin left the morgue and headed up to DNA.

"Hey Valera, can you run these through DNA and bring them to the briefing room when you're finished?"

The young DNA analyst smiled, "Sure, hey it's good to see you Erin,"

Erin smiled, placing the two pieces of DNA on the table, "Good to see you, too, sorry I'm just running in here and running out, we can talk later?"

"OK, see ya!"

"See ya!"

Erin quickly ran to the women's restroom, the thoughts of the Ace of Spades killer were making her sick, but she knew she had to toughen up. She splashed a bit of water on her face and dried off with a paper towel, straightened her NYPD badge and 9mm on her belt, then exited the restroom and headed to the briefing room, where she could see everyone was already there, including someone she'd hoped wouldn't be...Rick Stetler. Erin had always despised Stetler ever since he almost tried to attack her when she was interning at MDPD for her Academy degree in forensic science, and that was over 5 years ago. Erin sighed to herself, "Let's get this over with," she mustered up all of the courage she had and entered the room.