Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I don't intend to make any profit with this. CSI:Miami and its characters belong to the geniuses who created the show. Would that were me, though. "Nothing in the World" belongs to Atomic Kitten.

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Pairing: H/C

Spoilers: None

A/N: Here is chapter four, finally. This one is again rather quiet and introspective. Some of you might have noticed that I don't write action very well. Thanks for the reviews I have gotten so far. I'll keep writing. Please send more, I'd really like to know what you think of the story and what I could do better.

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"It's been so long...I can't remember when... We didn't care how deep it was...we dived right in"

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Calleigh took a late lunchbreak that day. Whe she returned to the ballistics lab from her conversation with Horatio and found that there were no other cases to work or reports to file, she decided to leave the CSI- building to get some lunch and fresh air.

She didn't even consider taking her car, but walked the few blocks to her favorite Italian restaurant instead.

It was a gorgeous day in the city. The sun was shining brightly from a perfectly blue sky. Not a single cloud was visible and a slight breeze from the ocean kept the temperature from rising too high. Since the regular lunch hour had already ended, only a few people were out on the streets, traffics had died down to just a few cars in the city center and Miami seemed almost peaceful; a sharp contrast to Calleigh's inner turmoil.

In the restaurant, she sat down at a table near the window with a view of the park across the street. From where she was sitting, Calleigh was able to see the kids playing near the fountain and various couples walking along the stone paths, holding hands and enjoying the day. Quickly, she looked away and forced herself to read the menu, even though she knew it by heart, since she came here a few times each week.

There was a new waiter working that day and Calleigh was relieved that he didn't know her. This way, she would not have to answer any questions about work or her co-workers for that matter.

Once, she had made, what seemed to her like a mistake, and had brought Horatio along and ever since then, everyone in the small, family-owned restaurant wanted to know what Horatio was up to and when she would bring him again. He had made quite an impression on them all.

Still, all of them had seen what Calleigh was trying so hard to ignore and deny. They knew her well enough to know that she was in love with the man she worked for. Over the last few years, Calleigh had become part of their family, maybe they saw in her the daughter they never had. She was unable to hide anthing from these people. They were highly perceptive and Calleigh knew that she was like an open book for them.

Finally, she put the menu down and ordered an unsweetened ice-tea, a bottle of water and Gnocci alla Sorrentina. Then she continued staring over to the park.

When her food arrived, Calleigh realized that she really wasn't hungry. Everything that weighed on her mind, the decisions she would have to make, had taken taken it's toll on her, mentally and physically. She didn't sleep well lately and had lost weight, as much as she had lost her appetite. Still, she forced herself to eat, at least because her manners told her that it would be rather rude not to touch her lunch, but after she had finished about half of her meal, she wasn't able to eat anymore. She felt physically ill.

She asked the waiter for the bill and when she paid it she added:

"Would you please box the leftovers for me. I'm in a little bit of a hurry. And please tell Anna and Giovanni that I stopped by and said 'hi'."

Before she could say anything else, the waiter smiled and replied:

"Sure Miss Duquesne. Have a nice day."

When Calleigh left the restaurant she wondered why the young man knew her name. Apparently the talk about her had not ceased yet.

She crossed the street and entered the park; a quiet oasis within the city boundaries.

At that moment, Calleigh decided to prolong her lunch break and spend some time outside. Maybe that would distract her a little. There was nothing to do for her at CSI anyway and she had her cell phone with her. If there was a new case the lab could always reach her.

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Calleigh slowly wandered through the park, taking in her surroundings, wondering why she had never been here before. She could understand why so many people came to this place.

A winding path led around a small lake and to other corners of the park. Various spanish-style fountains were set in the middle of little squares and the afternoon sun sparkled on the crystal clear water sending out rays of rainbow colors. The flowers were in full bloom at that time of the year and everywhere Calleigh turned, she was surrounded by a bright display of colors. A sweet and heavy scent hung in the air.

Finally, she sat down on a bench at the lake shore and looked out on the water.

She would have to leave soon to go and talk to Horatio.

Calleigh knew that she had to do it, but she was also afraid of Horatio's reaction. Even if he didn't love her, he still cared enough about her to try everything to keep her from going through with what she had planned. After all, the CSI team was like a family.

Calleigh planned to ask for a two week vacation. During that time she hoped to work out the problems that she had and was unable to deal with in Miami. She loved Horatio, but the fact that she was not the woman who shared his life made it increasingly difficult for Calleigh to work with him each and every day.

This left her three simple choices.

She could leave Miami without ever telling Horatio how she felt. She had gotten an offer from the Houston crime lab to head their ballistics unit, but somehow Calleigh felt that leaving like that would be like running away. And she wasn't the kind to run away.

Still, it would be just as difficult to try and get over Horatio; to find someone else in her life. Calleigh wasn't entirely sure if she would be able to see him as just a friend and colleague.

Lastly, she was still left with the choice to tell him how she really felt. She had no idea how she would do it, but to Calleigh it seemed to be her best option. Somewhere inside, she still kept the hope alive that Horatio might feel the same way. If that wasn't the case, she could still leave Miami knowing that at least she had honestly tried; had finally admitted to how she felt. Maybe she'd be able to move on with her life afterwards. Maybe.

She would have two weeks to decide, but she planned on telling Horatio part of the truth today; that she was thinking about leaving Miami. He had a right to know. The unhappy ending of her relationship with Hagen would have to suffice as an explanation. She wasn't ready to tell Horatio her true reasons.

Calleigh stayed in the park for a little while longer, hoping that it would calm her raging thoughts. Eventually, she looked at her watch, got up and left the park.

Until she got back to the CSI building, she had to force herself to put one foot in front of the other. She was dreading the coversation she was about to have with Horatio.