Author note: A new chapter I hope you like it.

A bet

After Horatio had parked the Hummer on a parking spot he got out and walked towards the building as several children and parents came out. Two girls came out of the door and held it for Horatio to go in. "Thank you." Horatio politely said, the girls nodded and started to chat amongst themselves again. Horatio found himself in a semi dark hallway with four doors and no directions. When he opened the first door he found a dressing room with one set of clothing hanging on the hooks. There were some showers and a door from which he could hear some noise. Opening that door revealed the actual gym hall, it was empty save a balancing beam with mattresses surrounding it and one large mattress at the end of the beam. On the beam was Celesta performing a series of jumps and turns. To get a better look Horatio took off his sunglasses, also out of amazement. She finished with a somersault off the beam, landing neatly on the large mattress. Horatio announced his presence with a short but heartfelt applause. Shocked Celesta turned around, Horatio started to come to her, but Celesta stopped him: "Please take off your shoes or stay to the walls." Horatio quickly kicked out his shoes as Celesta talked on: "I'm sorry, I completely forgot you were coming. Sometimes I stay another thirty minutes to do some exercises." As Horatio walked towards her he took in her presence. She wore a pair of shorts and a sports top, revealing a muscled belly. He could see her arm and leg muscles rolling under the slightly tanned skin, as she loaded some smaller mattresses on a cart. She had her hair in a pony tail that happily swung from side to side.

"Do you need any help with that?" Horatio asked.

"No, no it's fine. I'm sorry, but what was it that you wanted again? You called at a hectic moment."

"Your fingerprints." Celesta loaded the last mattress on the cart and rolled it into the utensils corner, she returned with two sets of wheels: "My fingerprints? Why do you need those? I've never had any problems with the police before."

"You're not in trouble, it's just to exclude you. We found several fingerprints and we need to know whose they are."

"Well your are definitely going to find my prints. I used all the things in that hall."

"When we find which ones are yours we'll be able to see which fingerprints don't belong there and with those we can find a suspect." Horatio explained, playing with his sunglasses and following Celesta with his eyes. She set one set of wheels on the floor and lifted the beam of the ground, high enough to kick the wheels under it and then gently set the beam down on the wheels. Turning to do the same thing on the other side, Celesta responded: "Oh, I see. Sure you can have my fingerprints. Just out of curiosity, where did you find those prints?"

"On the doorknob." Horatio said, Celesta snorted and rolled the beam to the side, getting a large empty cart: "The doorknob? Good luck, all the children that I teach, and their parents, grab that doorknob. Are you going to get all of their prints too?"

"No, but by it's size we can determine whether it is a child's print. Are you sure you don't need any help? It looks very heavy." Celesta turned and Horatio saw a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"You think I can't do this on my own? You know what, if I can do this on my own you get my fingerprints and buy me dinner. If I can't do this on my own you get my fingerprints and I buy you dinner. Deal?" Celesta extended her hand. Horatio looked at it, considering the bet. He was almost certain she wouldn't be able to do it on her own. She needed someone to hold the cart. "Okay." Horatio shook her hand. "Sit back and enjoy." Celesta's smile was radiant. Horatio stepped back and watched. He was right she needed a counterweight, but Celesta solved that by putting the cart against the wall and pushing the large mattress against the cart. The she simply heaved one side of the mattress up and pushing it up, the other side of the mattress tipped onto the cart and then the mattress with one final push sat on the cart. Celesta fastened it with a band and put the mattress in the utensils corner. Celesta turned around and smiled: "I think I owe you a set of fingerprints." Horatio was amazed, he just nodded.

"Give me five minutes to change and wash my hands." Celesta disappeared through the door that had granted Horatio entrance earlier. Horatio waited in the hall. He found himself very intrigued wit this woman, she was vibrant, cheerful, serious and caring among a long list of other things and he felt like he really wanted to get to know her better. The opening of a door shook him from his thoughts. "Come on, lets go outside, it is so dark, damp and dreary here." Horatio silently followed Celesta outside where she put her bag next to her bike. "So how does this fingerprinting work?" Celesta asked.

"It's nothing really, you put some ink on your fingers and then press them on the paper." Horatio got out the supplies.

"I know silly. I am not completely daft. You just seemed caught up in your thoughts and needed a call back to home planet earth." Celesta grinned, coming to stand next to Horatio, he gave her half a grin.

Five minutes later Celesta was getting her bike to cycle home and Horatio was closing the booth of the Hummer. Celesta came to stand next to him, bicycle next to her: "Was that all you needed Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am." Horatio walked to the door, Celesta was nearby, he put on his sunglasses and said: "One more thing: How late should I come pick you up tonight?" Celesta looked at him surprised, then laughed: "You don't have to buy me dinner, it's okay."

"Horatio had his head tipped looking at Celesta, a smile on his face, then lifted his head and looked into the distance: "I know, but I want to take you to dinner."

"Okay, pick me up at seven. Here's the address." Celesta grabbed Horatio's hand and a pen from her bag and wrote her address on the top of Horatio's hand.

"Good see you tonight." Horatio closed the door and drove off, leaving Celesta.

Author note: I hope you liked this chapter, please, please review and tell me what you thought.